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IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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Hiotographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


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23  WEST  M.AIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  873-4503 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


O 


•%-c* 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/No<es  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  Jest 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibiiographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  <iny  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommag^e 


□    Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurde  et/ou  pelliculde 

□    Cover  title  missing/ 
Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 

□    Coloured  maps/ 
Cartes  giographiques  en  couleur 

□    Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

[~~|    Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 


D 


J 


D 


D 


Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 


Bound  with  other  material/ 
Relii  avec  d'autre&  documents 


Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

Lareliure  serr6e  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
di  ttorsion  le  long  de  la  marge  intdrieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajout^es 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais.  lorsque  cela  dtait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  6ti  filmies. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppldmentaires; 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  ixh  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-dtre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  mithode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiqu^s  ci-dessous. 


I      I    Coloured  pages/ 


Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagdes 


□    Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaur^es  et/ou  pelliculdes 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  d6color6es,  tachet6es  ou  piqu6es 

Pages  detached/ 
Pages  ddtach^es 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  prir 

Quality  in^gale  de  {'impression 

includes  supplementary  materie 
Comprend  du  materiel  supplementaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 


I      I  Pages  detached/ 

r~7|  Showthrough/ 

I      I  Quality  of  print  varies/ 

I      I  includes  supplementary  material/ 

I      I  Only  edition  available/ 


□    Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  dt6  filmdes  d  nouvoau  de  fapon  d 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checkad  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmd  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqu6  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X  18X  22X 


26X 


30X 


^^^ 

12X 

16X 

20X 

24X 

28X 

32X 

The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

Seminary  of  Quebec 
Library 

The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  covsr  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  ^^- (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED";, or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 

Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


L'exemplaire  filmA  fut  reproduit  grdce  it  la 
ginirositi  de: 

Siminaire  de  Quebec 
Bibliothdque 

Les  images  suivantes  ont  At6  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nettet«  de  l'exemplaire  film«,  et  en 
conformit6  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 

Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprim^e  sont  filmte  en  commenqant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
derniire  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  selon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  filmte  en  commen^ant  par  la 
premidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  derniire  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  dee  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbols  — ►  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN". 

Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
filmte  A  des  taux  de  riduction  diffirerts. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  Atre 
reproduit  en  un  seui  clich«,  11  est  fiimi  d  partir 
de  I'angle  supirieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  n6cessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mithode. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

m. 


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A  NEW  SYSTEM 

ot 

MODERN    GEOGRAPHY, 


\i¥ 


7. 


OR 


j4  general  description 


OF    THE 

MOST  REMARKABLE  COUNTRIES  T] 
THE   KNOWN   WORLD, 


veoae 


THEIR     RESPECTIVE     SITUATIONS,     EXTENTS,  ,  Hlfll^IO 
RIVERS,    MOUNTAINS,    SOILS,    AND    PRODUnilO 
COMMERCE,  MANNERS,  CUSTOMS,  LAWS,  ANf(  RE\lGION 


.ifiiovX 


TOGETHER    WITH  >^  ^ 

THEIR  PRINCIPAL  HISTORICAL  Evl 


?JVj^ 


AND 
POLITICAL  IMPORTANCE  IN  THE  GREAT  COMMONlflfALTH  OF  NATIONS: 

COMPILED  yg*       .^ 

FROM  THE  MCj  MODERN  SySTEM^I?i5EOGRAPHY, 
AND  THE  LATEST  VOYAGES  AND  t^AVELS, 

AND  O       "^     ir-     - 

CON-GAINING  MANY  IMPORTANT  ADg^I^S^  ■jg|  GEOGRAPHY 
OF  THE  UNITED  STATES  THA-QIAvfe  NiyElT^PPEARED 
IN  ANY  OTHER  WOR»T3f5hEjKINIJ7 


ILLUSTRATED  W^JlSk'FifAPS, 

'ccond  Edition — In  two  Folumet.   '    ■ '^*^' ^-^ ^  j 


Cempriiitti  the  latest  discoveries. 


BY 


VO 


'kJ 


PHILADELPHIA: 
PUBLISHED  BY  JACOB  JOHNSON  &  Co. 

NO.   147,    MARKET-STREET. 


1805. 


wmm 


District  of  Pennsylvania^  to  wit : 

BE  IT  REMEMBERED,  that  on  the  fourth  day  of  September  in 
the  Twenty-ninth  year  of  the  Independence  of  the  United  States  of  Ame- 
rica, A.  D.  1804.  Jacob  Johnson  of  the  said  District  has  deposited  in 
this  OfSce  the  Title  of  a  Book  the  right  whereof  he  claims  as  Pro- 
prietor  in  the  words  following  to  wit  : 

"  K  New  System  of  Modern  Geography,  or  a  General  Description  of 
"  the  most  remarkable  countries  throughout  the  known  world.  Their 
"  respective  situations,  extents,  divisions,  cities,  rivets,  mountains, 
««  soils,  and  productions ;  their  commerce,  manners,  customs,  laws,  and 
•'  religion  ;  together  with  iheir  principal  historical  events,  and  political 
*«  importance  in  the  great  commonwealth  of  nations.  Compiled  from  the 
"  most  modern  systems  of  Geography,  and  the  latest  Voyages  and  Tra- 
"  vels,  and  containing  many  important  additions  to  the  Geography  ot 
"  the  United  States  that  have  never  appeared  in  any  other  work  of  the 
"  kind.  Illustrated  with  eight  Maps,  comprising  tl;e  latest  discoveries, 
"  and  engraved  by  the  first  American  Artists.  By  Bepjamin  Davies." 

In  conformity  to  the  Act  of  the  Congress  of  the  United  States,  intitu- 
led  "An  Act  for  the  encouragement  of  learning,  by  securing  the  copjes 
of  Mans.  Charts,  and  Books  to  the  authors  and  proprietors  of  such  copies 
durinK  the  times  therein  mentioned."  And  also  to  the  Act  entitled 
"  An  Act  supplementary  to  an  Act  entitled  "An  Act  for  the  encourage- 
ment  of  learning  by  securing  the  copies  of  Maps,  Charts,  and  Books  t» 
the  authors  and  proprietors  of  such  copies  during  the  times  therein  men- 
tloned  "  and  extending  the  benefits  thereof  to  the  Arts  of  designing,  en- 
gravin'g,  and  etching,  historical  and  other  1^''^-^"  ^^^^^^^^^ 

Clerk  of  the  District 
iff  PennsjiJvania. 


*  >. 


iNiiii 


li^Mi 


PREFACE. 


i.  O  recommend  the  study  of  Geography,  or 
a  knowledge  of  the  terraqueous  globe,  to  the  inquisi- 
tive and  enlightened  citizens  of  the  United  States 
would  be  trite  and  useless.  What  has  been  sanctioned 
by  the  approval  of  literary  men  in  every  other  coun- 
try, has  in  thif;.  deservedly  become  the  subjeft  of 
general  cultivation.  All  that  seems  to  be  required 
of  the  Editor,  is  briefly  to  premise  a  few  remarks  on 
the  treatise  now  ofl^ered  to  the  public,  with  the  reasons 
that  induced  him  to  undertake  the  compilation. 

Observing  a  frequent  demand  in  the  book-shops  for 
a  system  of  Geography,  more  instructive  and  enter- 
taining than  the  dry  epitomes  used  in  the  schools,  as 
elementary  books,  and  yet  less  voluminous  and  expen- 
sive than  Pinkerton's,  Guthrie's,  or  Walker's  Geogra- 
phical Grammars,  the  Editor  thought  that  such  a  trea- 
tise might  be  compiled  by  judicious  extracts  from 
these,  with  the  help  of  Modern  Travels  and  Voyages. 
Something  more  too  might  be  introduced,  in  describ- 
ing our  own  country,  its  moral  and  physical  state, 
than  is  to  be  found  in  those  volumes,  without  en- 
croaching on  the  right,  or  swelling  the  treatise  to  the 
size,  of  Morse's  American  Geography. 

To  accomplish  this  intention  Pinkerton's  abridge- 
ment has  been  recurred  to,  principally,  in  detailing  the 
Geography  of  foreign  countries ;  with  the  introduction 
of  a  few  interesting  articles  which  more  recent  publica- 


RP 


IV 


PREFACE. 


tions  have  furnished.  This  seemed  necessary  to  ac- 
commodate the  work  to  the  existing  state  of  Europe 
and  Asia,  thofe  leading  parts  of  the  system  with  which 
we  now  entertain  fuch  frequent  commercial  inter- 
course. In  arranging  the  materials  before  us,  the  per- 
spicuous order  of  Pinkerton  has  been  adhered  to,  as 
closely  as  the  nature  of  our  task  would  permit. 

The  freedom  that  has  been  indulged,  in  discri- 
minating the  various  constitutions  of  the  American 
states,  and  the  characters  of  their  inhabitants,  will 
perhaps  be  esteemed  rather  assuming  by  some  readers ; 
but  as  truth  and  justice  has  been  uni/ormly  our  rule, 
as  well  as  independence  of  judgment,  we  presume 
the  number  will  be  but  fmall,  and  that  thofe  few  will 
perhaps  see  caufe  to  change  their  opinions.  But 
should  any  material  errors  be  discovered  by  readers 
which  they  will  be  so  obliging  as  to  communicate,  in 
the  topography  or  constitutions  of  any  of  the  states, 
or  the  character  of  the  people,  they  shall  be  rectified 
in  the  next  impression  of  the  work,  and  the  commu- 
nication will  be  accepted  with  grateful  sensibility. 

In  compliance  with  our  engagements  to  the  sub- 
scribers, the  volume  will  be  preceded  by  an  Alphabeti- 
cal Catalogue  of  the  most  common  names  of  Ancient 
Geography,  explained  by  the  modern  appellations  of 
the  same  places — which  can  hardly  fail  to  be  accepta- 
ble to  the  readers  of  ancient  history,  as  it  is  not  to  be 
met  with  in  any  modern  system  that  we  have  feen. 

Those  of  our  subscribers  who  have  been  displeased 
with  the  delay  that  has  o.^curred  in  this  publication, 
will,  we  hope,  be  disposed  to  pardon  us,  when  they 
are  informed  that  it  has  been  occasioned,  in  a  great 
measure,  by  the  increased  size  of  the  work ;  which 
contains  at  least  one  hundred  and  fifty  pages  more 
than  was  promised  or  expected  when  our  Prospectus 
was  published. 


iiMjiiti-r  I'    -      II. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


Introduction,  />.  i. — The  figure  and  relative  position 
of  the  Earth — of  the  Terrestrial  Globe. — Problems 
performed  on  the  Globe. — Divisions  on  the  surface  of 
the  Earth.—  Of  Maps. — Lengths  of  Miles  in  different 
fountries. 

Europe,  general  view  of  p.  26. — England  and  Wales, 
30 — Scotland,  57 — Ireland,  70 — France ^  79 — Ne- 
therlands,  93 — Russia  in  Europf^,  98 — Russian 
isles,  108 — Austrian  dominions,  109 — Prussia,  123 

— Spain,     131 — Spanish    isles,     144 Turkey     in 

Europe,  145 — Turkish  isles,  155 — Holland,  1^6 
— Denmark,  164 — Danish  isles,  174 — Sweden,  176 
— Swedis/j  ifles,  185 — Portugal,  186 — Swisserland, 
192 — German  States,  201 — German  States  on  th 
north  of  the  Mayn,  205 — Ditto  on  the  sotith  of  the 
Mayn,  210 — Italy,  general  description  of,  213 — 
Southern  part  of  Italy,  2 1  •]— Central  part  of  Italy, 
2 1 9 — Northern  part  of  Italy  y  221. 

Asia,  general  view  of,  224— Linnaan  table  of  primeval 
nations  and  languages,  225 — Turkey  in  Asia,  228 — 
Islands  belonging  to  Asiatic  Turkey,  236 — Russian 
empire  in  Asia,  239 — Islands  belonging  to  Asiatic 
Russia,  249 — Chinese  empire,  250 — China  proper, 
251 — Chinese  islands,  261 — Chinese  Tatary,  262 — . 
Island  of  Sagalian  or  Tchoka,  265 — Tibet,  267 — 7a- 
/^«>  2^2— 'Sirman  empire,  comprising  Ava  and  Pe^- 
gu,  2Z2— -Malaya  or  Malacca,  291 — 5w/w,  293— 
Other  states  of  exterior  India,  297 — Hindostan,  300 
rrr-British  possessions  and  allies,  30? — Maratta  states ^ 


mmmm 


mmmm 


«Mi|HBii« 


\ 


VI 


CONTENTS. 

303-5.;^..  il>,-^Ga»getic  Hindcstan,  or  the  couufnes 
on  the  Garages,  3 1  n—Zindetic  Hindostan,  or  the  coufu 
Zirj^     '^""^'''^  '^'^'—^'"^'-IBindostan.or  the 

#3        \ 


THE 


Common  Names  of  Ancient  Geography^ 

Explained  by  the  synonymous  modern  names,    and 
arranged  in  alphabetical  order. 


A. 

Acheron,  a  river  in  Albania,  now  called  Velechi. 

Aetiym,  capital  of  I.ivadia,  now  called  Figala. 

Acroceraunesy  mountains  in  Albania,  now  mount  Chimera' 

Adriatic  Sea,  now  gulf  of  Venice. 

AliioMf  now  England. 

AUemania,  now  Franconia  and  Suabia. 

Allotroga,  now  Savoy  and  Dauphin^. 

Ammen,  now  Barca  in  Africa. 

Angles,  ancient  inhabitants  of  Holstein,  the  progenitors  of  the  En<?li«h 

nation.  « 

Arcadia,  now  a  part  of  Zaconia  in  Morea. 
Armortea,  now  the  province  of  Bretagne  in  France. 
Armenia  Major,  now  Turcomania,  in  Asia. 
Ariela,  a  place  in  Diarbeck,  where  Alexander  routed  Darius  king  of 

Assyria,  a.  part  of  modern  Persia  and  Diarbeck. 

Atbot,  a  famous  mountain  of  Macedonia,  now  Monte  Santo. 

Atlantu,  supposed  by  some  to  be  America. 

Ausonia,  now  Terra  di  Laboro,  m  Apulia. 

B. 

BaiyloH,novr  Bagdad,  the  capital  of  Diarbeck. 

Bacfriana,  now  Zagati,  or  Usbecks,  a  province  on  the  borders  of  Persia 

fkares,  now  the  islands  of  Majorca,  Minorca,  and  Ivica. 

Hatavia,  now  Holland. 

Belgium,  now  Flanders. 

Bitbynia,  now  Becsangil  in  Natolia. 

Boristbenes,  now  the  river  Dnieper,  in  Russia. 

Mosfbcrus  Tbracia,  now  the  straits  of  Cowt*nUnopIe. 

JfyMnUuip,  now  Constaatinople. 


viii  The  Common  Names  of  Ancient  Geography. 

Baticat  part  of  Spain,  nov/  containing  Granada,  .ludalusia,  part  of  Cas- 
tile and  Estramadura. 

Brigantes,  inhabitants  of  Yorkshire,  Lancashire,  Durham,  Westmoreland 
and  Cumberland.  (O.  E.) 

c. 

Qampanla^  now  part  of  Calabria,  in  the  kingdom  of  Naples. 

Cannay  in  the  province  of  Bari  iu  the  kingdom  of  Naples,  faftious  for 

the  destruction  of  a  Roman  army  by  Hannibal. 
Cantabrioy  now  Biscay  and  Asturias. 
Capfadocic,  now  Amasia,  in  Natolia. 

Carthago,  now  ruins,  about  nine  miles  from  Tunis,  in  Barbary. 
Ca.p'iante  yanua,  famous  mountain  in  Persia,  near  the  Caspian  sea. 
Caucasus,  part  of  Mount  Taurus,  between  the  BlacI".  and  tlie  Caspian 

seas. 
CbaUtSy  now  Negropont,  or  the  capital  of  that  island. 
CattueJlani,  people  of  Buckingham,  Bedford,  and  Hertfordshire.  (O.  E.) 
Casaraugusta,  a  ( own  of  Spain,  now  Saragossa. 
Chersonese  fCifKirie)  now  Jutland. 
Chersonese  (Tauric)  now  Crimea. 
Ciclades,  islands  of  the  Archipelago. 
Ciliciaj  now  Caramania,  in  Natolia. 
Cimbrif  the  inhabitants  of  Jutland. 
ComplutuiK,  now  Alcala  de  Henares,  in  Spain. 
Clusium,  a  town  of  Tus<Sany,  now  in  ruins. 
Colcbides,  now  Mingrelia  and  Georgia,  in  Asia. 
Corcyrum,  now  Corlu,  an  island  off  the  coast  of  Albania. 
Creta,  now  Candia,au  uht  \  at  the  entrance  of  the  Archipelago. 

D. 

Dacia,  now  part  of  Upper  Hungary,  of  Transylvania,  Vallachia  and 

Moldavia. 
Delpbosy  now  Castria,  in  Livadia  or  Achaia. 
Delos,  now  Sdille,  an  island  of  the  Archipelago. 

E. 

Echaiana  now  Tauris,  a  large  city  in  Persia. 

Eleusis,  now  Lcspina,  a  town  near  the  Egean  sea,  famous  for  the  temple 

of  Cert3. 
Elides,  that  part  of  Morea,  now  called  Belvedere. 
Etr-athia.,  a  part  of  Macedonia. 
Ethiopia,  now  Abyssinia,  and  Nubia. 
Etolia,  a  part  of  Livadia,  in  Greece. 
Etruria,  now  Tuscany. 
Eubaa^  now  the  i^^land  of  Negropont,  in  Turkey 


The  Common  Names  of  u^ncient  Geography.         ix 

Euphrates,  HOW  Frat,  a  famous  river  of  Asia,  on  which  once  stood  the 

city  of  Babylon. 
£u>/jf>us,  an  arm  of  the  sea,  between  Negropont  and  Livadia. 

F. 

Falerna,  a  mountain  in  the  kingdom  of  Naples,  now  Monte  Massico, 
once  famous  for  its  grapes. 

%  G. 

Galatia,  Tiovi  Chiangara,  a  province  of  Natolia. 

GaUiay  now  France  and  Lombardy,  divided  into  Cisalpine  and  Transal- 
pine, as  it  was  more  or  less  distant  from  Rome. 
Gallia  Cisalpina,  now  Lombardy,  was  divided  intoTranspadana  and  Cispa- 
dana,  as  it  was  on  one  or  the  other  side  of  the  river  Po,  in  respect 
of  Rome.  Cispadana  was  called  also  Togata,  on  account  of  the 
toga,  or  long  gown  worn  by  the  inhabitants. 

Gallia  Trarnalpina,  was  hkewise  divided  into  two  parts,  one  called 
Comaia,  on  account  of  the  long  hair  of  the  inhabitants,  comprising 
the  Lionese,  part  of  Normandy,  the  lsl«  of  France,  the  Orleannois, 
Touraine,  Maine,  Bretagne,  Franche  Compte  and  all  its  dependen- 
cies, Guienne,  Gascoigne,  Roussilkon,  Triers,  Spire,  Worms,  Stras- 
burg,  Mentz,  Toul,  Verdun,  and  all  the  country  between  the  Sein, 
the  Maese,  and  the  Rhine,  from  Coblentz  down  to  the  sea;  the 
other  called  Braccata,  on  account  of  the  Bracca,  a  sort  of  breeches 
worn  in  that  country,  comprehending  Languedoc,  Provence,  Daq- 
phine  and  Savoy. 

GaJes,  now  Cadiz,  a  city  of  Spain 

Garamanteiy  now  Zara,  or  Nigritia,  in  Africa. 

Gennabiutn,  now  Orleans,  a  city  of  France. 

Getes,  people  of  Moldavia  and  Vallachia. 

Gnosse,  now  Candia. 

Getulia,  now  Bildulgerid  in  Africa. 

Cranicus,  now  Lazzara,  a  river  of  Natolia,  famous  for  a  victory  obtained 
by  Alexander  over  Darius,  near  its  banks. 

Gracia  Magna,  now  the  south  part  of  Italy. 

H. 

Halicarnassus,  now  Tobia,  a  city  of  Caramania. 

Hannonia,  now  Hainauh  in  Flanders. 

Helicon,  now  Zagara,  a  mountain  of  Livadia. 

Hellespcntus,  now  the  Straits  of  Dardanelles. 

Heheiii,  the  inhabitants  of  Switzerland. 

Hcnihs,  a  peopie  in  the  north  of  Germany. 

Hcsperides,  a  name  given  by  the  Greeks  to  Italy,  and  by  the  Italians  to 
Spam.  ' 

Hircama,  now  Tarabistan,  a  province  of  Persia. 

Htrpini,  a  people  settled  in  u  part  of  the  kingdom  of  Naples 

Ht spalls,  now  Seville,  a  town  of  Spain.      • 


'IP 


X  '^^e  Common  Names  of  Ancient  Geograpljy, 

L 

Ihtria^  now  Spain. 

'nZT:  now  ^  r""  •'■''  S.'T"'?  J"^"'  ^eyp*'  ""'i  Arabar 

■j/zyr/a,  now  bclavonia,  Dalmatia,  and  Croatia. 

insubrta,  now  part  of  Lombardy,  towards  Como. 

/««««,,«,  washes  the  western  shore  of  Greece  up  to  the  gulf  of  Venice. 

IZ^:  a  small  country,  along  the  river  Jordan,  oppositfryrus: 

C'-  "T^A  ?7^«?"*^'  »«a  port  of  France,  the  rendcalw  gun- 
boats  intended  for  invasion  of  England.  # 

Xc-;rfs«M,  or  %r/a,  now  Misitra,  a  city  of  Morea. 
l^aconia,  the  country  of  which  Sparta  was  the  capital. 

A^liX  ^''''''   *"■  ^''^'^'  '"  ''^"'  "^""'  '=^*«  ^^''g""  fro«» 
Xa//«»,,  now  Campania  di  Roma. 
Laurentum,  now  San  Lorenzo,  in  Campania  di  Roma. 
I^emnes,  now  Stalimene.l  .  ,     ,     ,  , 
Lesbos^  now  Mitilene,    C  "^^""^  «» the  Archipelago. 
^j'&'a,  now  Nigritia  and  Parca. 
Liburnia,  a  part  of  Dalmatia  and  Croatia. 
J^tcaoHia,  now  the  district  of  Cogni  in  Natolia. 
I^tgurtu,  now  the  RepubPc  of  Genoa. 

rJiHL  *^^  ^''J^  ""}  Avemo,  in  the  kingdom  of  Naples. 
i^otbarhgia^  the  duchy  of  Lorrain. 

Zwa«a,  now  the  BasiUcate,  in  the  kingdom  of  Naples. 

L-usttaniay  now  Portugal. 

Lutetia^  now  Paris,  the  capital  of  France. 

M. 

Mara^on,m^  a  viUagc  of  Livadia,  where  the   Greeks  routed  the 

rersians. 
Massagetes,  now  Turquestan,  in  Asia. 
Mano^a,>„i,  peopled  the  country  which  lies  in  the    south-west    of 

Bohemia. 
Mauritama,  now  Algiers,  Tunis,  Fez  and  Morocco. 
Media,  now  part  of  Persia,  towards  Aderbeitzan. 
Meander,  now  Mandre,  a  river  of  Natolia. 
Melita,  now  Malta,  an  island  in  the  Mediterranean. 
MempbU,  now  Grand  Cairo,  the  capital  of  Egypt. 
^Mesopotamia,  now  Diarbeck,  in  Asia. 

MiUtus,  novf  Palatcha,  in  Anatolia,  a  town  of  ancient  Ionia  famous  for 

Its  fine  wool. 
^^"a,  now  Servia  and  Bulgaria,  in  Europe. 
Mhscnisy  now  St.  Adrian,  a  town  of  Morea,  near  Corinth. 
Moguntia,  now  the  city  of  Mentz,  in  Germany. 


^ 

^^^' 


The  Common  Names  of  Ancient  Geography,  xi 


a  famous  for 


Monahia  nowthe  Isle  of  Man. 
Monttf  now  Anglesea,  iu  Wa'es> 


N. 


Nicomedia,  a  city  of  NatoIla,formerIy  the  capi 

by  an  earthquake  in  356. 
NiitiveB,  now  a  heap  of  ruins,  near  the 

Tigris. 
Norieum^  now  part  of  Austria,  Styria,  Carint.. 
Numantiat  now  Garrai,  upon  the  Duro,  a  city 
Numidiay  now  Biiedulgerid,  in  Africa. 

o. 

Olympus,  a  mount  in  Thessaly,  near  the  gulf  of  Thessalonica. 

0/y«/M,  nowLonganico,  in  Morea,  where  the  Olympic  jrames  were 

celebrated. 
Orcbadety  now  the  Isles  of  Orkney. 
Orontesy  now  Oronz,  or  Tarfar,  a  river  of  Natolia  in  Asia. 

P. 

Padusy  now  Po,  a  river  of  Italy. 

Fannmiay  now  part  of  Styria,  Carniola,  Carinthia,  Hungary  and  Botnia. 

rartbenopey  now  Naples,  in  Italy. 

Partbia,  now  Arac,  in  Asia. 

Peloponnesusy  now  Morea,  part  of  Turkey  in  Europe. 

Pelusiumy  near  the  ruins  of  which  stands  Damietta,  in  Ejrypt. 

Pbanicia,  now  a  part  of  Suria,  or  Syria,  in  Asia. 

Pieenium,  now  Ancona,  in  Italy.  ^ 

PoHtujy  now  part  of  Aladulia,  in  Natolia. 

Propcnthy  nowthe  sea  of  Marmora. 

Ptolemais,  now  St.  John  D'Aire,  in  Syria,  famous  for  the  defeat  of 
Buonaparte  and  lus  eastern  army  by  a  handful  of  English  saUori, 
under  Sir  Sidney  Smith.  •  ^        «moi», 

R. 

Rbetlay  now  the  Orisons,  as  far  a?  Trent. 
Pbodoput,  now  BasiUssa,  a  mountain  in  Romania. 

tTsicS^  ^'^^°*  '''°''"  *"  ^^^  promontory  of  Italy  that  is  nearest 

^lr'-n"i?Tr"'''^h^  "^*^' ^'^^ ^'''^^ ^'^y fro"*  Cisalpine  Qwl. 
-»«/«//,  mhabitants  qf  the  country  now  Campania  di  Roma. 

S.  ■' 

^aw,  now  Zibit,  the  metropoUs  of  Arabia  Falix. 
baguntumy  now  ^orvedro,  a  city  of  Valencia,  inSpjiin. 


!?• 


XU  The  Comnon  Names  of  Ancient  Geograph^u 

Samnttesy  inhabifants  of  the  country  now  called  Capltanate  in  Italy. 

Sarmatia,  now  Poland,  Muscovy  and  part  of  Tatary. 

5;/»«x  ^</rifl//Vi//,  now  the  gulf  of  Venice. 

Suemnes,  ancient  inhabitants  of  Sweden.  .  '  .^ 

Scandinavia^  now  Denmark,  Norway  and  Sweden. 

Scythia,  an  extensive  region,  now  Tatary. 

Seguani,  inhabitants  of  Burgogne,  or  Franche  Comt^. 

Sicamiria,  part  of  Germany  near  to  where  the  Main  unites  with  the 

Rhine. 
Sidon,  now  Said  in  Syria. 

Sogdiana,  now  a  part  of  Tatary,  bordering  on  Persia. 
Styx,  a  fountain  in  Morea,  the  water  of  which  is  extremely  cold. 
Sueviuf  now  Swabia,  in  Germany. 

T. 

Tanaisy  now  the  Don,  a  river  that  divides  Europe  and  Asia. 
Tbebesf  now  Stives,  a  city  of  Livadia,  in  Turkey. 
Tbrmcia,  now  Romania. 
Trinaerioy  HOW  the  island  of  Sicily. 
3jrrri6fffltf /M,  ;|iow  the  sea  of  Tuscany. 
7yr»/,  now  Sur,  in  Syria. 

V. 

VandaKoy  now  that  part  of  Germany  which  lies  along  the  Baltick.   , 
Findeliei,  now  a  country  between  the  Danube,  the  Inn,  and  the  Alps. 
yolsci,  inhabitants  of  Calabria,  in  the  south  of  Italy. 
Findtitaa,  now  Vienna,  capital  of  Austria,  .o 


unites  with  the 


INTRODUCTION. 


/\M0NG  all  the  liberal  arts  and  sciences  that  are 
taught  in  schools^  there  is  not  one,  perhaps,  that  has 
more  to  recommend  it  to  general  cultivation  than  Geo- 
ORAPHY,  or  a  knowledge  of  the  globe  we  inhabit. 

To  wnderstand  the  theory  of  this  science,  with  as  much 
of  Astronomy  as  respects  the  annual  revolution  of  our 
planet  round  the  sun,  and  its  diurnal  motion  on  its  own 
axis;  to  be  acquainted  with  its  component  parts ;  its  va- 
rious inhabitants ;  its  physical  and  political  divisions:  is 
a  delightful  study,  considered  only  as  a  subject  of  amuse- 
ment. "* 

But  if  we  take  into  view  the  utility  of  the  science, 
when  applied  to  the  purposes  of  navigation  and  com- 
merce—with the  knowledge  it  unfolds  of  the  laws,  reli- 
gions, manners,  customS,  arts,  and  improvements  of  our 
tellow^men,  m  all  their  various  dispersions,  and  the  ten- 
dency It  has  to  remove  local  prejudices,  and  to  render 
the  families  of  the  earth  more  useful  to  one-another,  it 
tnll  be  esteemed  as  one  of  the  most  useful  branches  of  a 
liberal  education. 

To  have  a  perfect  comprehension  of  Geography,  it 
is  necessary  to  begm  the  work  with  a  summary  view  of 
Astronomy,  as  far  at  least  as  a  knowledge  of  one  is  pro- 
per to  render  the  other  plain  and  intelligible. 

Of  all  the  heavenly  bodies  that  fall  under  our  observation, 
the  mos  conspicuous  is  that  glorious  luminary,  the  sun 
the  fountain  of  light  an  J  '^  cat  to  the  several  placets  which 
move  round  It,  and  whici.  together  with  it  form  what  is 

.„e  a^x«z  a^svcKi.     me  path  by  which  the  planets 

move  round  the  sun,  is  called  their  orbit;  and  it^s  now 

b 


XIV 


INTRODUCTION. 


fully  proved  by  Astronomers,  that  there  are  seven  planets 
that  revolve  round  it,  each  in  its  own  orbit.  The  names 
of  these,  in  the  order  of  their  approximation  to  the  cen- 
tre of  the  sun,  are  Mercury,  Venus,  the  Earth,  Mars, 
Jupiier,  Saturn,  and  the  Georgium  Sidus.  The  two  first, 
because  they  are  nearer  the  sun,  and  move  within  the 
earth,  are  called  interior  planets,  and  the  four  last,  be- 
cause they  move  without  the  orbit  of  the  earth,  are  called 
exterior  planets.  To  assist  the  memory,  and  form  an 
idea  of  the  proportional  distance  of  each  planet  from 
the  sun;  if  the  greatest  extent  of  the  Georgium  Sidus 
from  the  sun  were  divided  into  190  parts,  the  propor- 
tional distance  of  the  rest  of  the  orbits  would  be :  Mer- 
cury 5,  Venus  7,  Earth  10,  Mars  15,  Jupiter  52,  and 
Saturn  95.  We  shall  only  consider  the  two-fold  motion 
of  the  Earth,  or  the  planet  on  which  we  live. 

The  spherical  figure  of  the  Earth  being  fully  proved 
by  the  voyages  of  many  navigators  who  have  sailed  round 
it,  as  well  as  by  many  other  well  known  facts,  the  hypo- 
thesis of  its  motion  is  evidently  rendered  the  more  pro- 
bable. For  if  it  move  not  round  the  sun,  not  only  the 
sun,  but  all  the  stars  and  planets,  must  move  round  the 
Earth,  with  a  velocity  that  exceeds  all  conception : 
whereas  all  the  appearances  in  nature  may  be  easily  ex- 
plained by  imagining  the  earth  to  move  round  the  sun 
in  the  space  of  one  year,  and  to  revolve  on  its  own  axis 
once  in  24  hours. 

To  form  a  conception  of  these  two  motions  of  the 
earth,  we  may  imagine  a  ball  moving  on  a  billiard-table, 
or  a  bowling-green :  the  ball  proceeds  forward  upon  the 
green  or  table,  not  by  sliding  along  like  a  plane  upon 
wood,  but  by  turning  round  its  own  axis,  an  imaginary 
line  drawn  through  its  centre,  and  ending  on  its  surface. 
The  earth,  in  twenty-four  hours,  revolves  from  west  to 
east,  while  the  inhabitants  on  the  surface  may  conceive 
that  the  sun  and  stars  move  from  east  to  west;  like  men 
•on  the  deck  of  a  ship,  who  are  insensible  of  their  own 
motion,  and  think  that  the  banks  move  from  them,  in  a 
contrary  direction.  This  diurnal  motion  of  the  earth 
clearly  conceived,  will  enable  us  more  easily  to  compre- 
hend its  annual  motion  round  the  sun.    For  ae  tliat  lu- 


INTRODUCTION. 


XV 


minary  seems  to  have  a  diurnal  motion  round  the  earth, 
which  is  really  occasioned  by  the  diurnal  motion  of  the 
latter  round  its  own  axis,  so,  in  the  course  of  the  year, 
he  seems  to  have  an  anpual  motion  in  the  heavens,  and 
to  rise  and  set  in  different  points,  which  is  really  caused 
by  the  annual  motion  of  the  earth,  in  its  orbit  round  the 
sun,  which  it  completes  in  the  space  of  one  year.. ..As  to 
the  first  of  these  motions  we  owe  the  succession  of  days 
and  nights,  so,  to  the  second  we  are  indebted  for  the  sea- 
sons of  the  year,  and  the  difference  in  the  length  of  days 
and  nights. 

But  it  is  necessary  to  observe  that  the  axis  of  the  earth 
is  not  exactly  parallel  to,  or  in  a  line  with,  the  axis  of  its 
orbit;  because  then  the  same  parts  of  the  earth  would  be 
turned  toward  the  sun  in  every  diurnal  revolution,  which 
would  deprive  mankind  of  the  grateful  vicissitudes  of  the 
seasons,  arising  from  the  difference  in  the  length  of  days 
and  nights.  This  is  therefore  not  the  case:. ...In  the 
earth's  whole  annual  course  round  the  sun,  its  axis  is 
^H  degrees  inclined  from  a  perpendicular  to  its  orbit.... 
Of  this  we  may  conceive  some  idea,  by  supposing  a  spin- 
dle put  through  a  ball,  vnth  one  end  of  it  touching  the 
ground ;  if  we  move  the  ball  forward,  while  one  end  of 
the  spindle  continues  to  touch  the  ground,  and  the  other 
points  towards  some  quarter  of  the  heavens,  we  may 
form  an  idea  of  the  inclination  of  the  earth's  axis  to  its 
orbit,  from  the  inclination  of  the  spindle  to  the  ground; 
Mid,  of  course,  may  comprehend  the  cause  of  the  vicis- 
situde of  the  seasons,  and  of  the  difference  in  the  length 
of  the  days  and  nights. 

OF  THE    GLOBE. 

By  the  globe  is  meant  a  representation  of  the  different 
places  and  countries  on  the  face  of  the  earth,  upon  an 
artificial  globe  or  ball.  Geographers  have  represented 
the  situationof  one  place  with  regard  to  another,  or  with 
regard  to  the  earth  itself,  by  certain  artificial  circles. 
After  that  circle  in  the  heavens,  which  is  called  the  equa- 
tor, was  known  to  astronomers,  nnthino-  woe  tr^r^«^  ^»o,, 
.than  to  transfer  it  to  the  earth,  by  which  the  situation  of 
places  was  detennined,  as  they  lay  on  one  side  of  the 


XVI 


INTRODUCTION. 


equator  or  the  other.  The  reader  having  obtained  a 
clear  idea  of  this  leading  principle,  we  may  proceed  ta 
consider  the  description  of  our  earth,  as  represented  by 
the  artificial  globe.  ,  ' 

,.f  J'^^'^u  ""'V?^  ^^'''*'"-  Though  in  speaking 
of  the  earth  with  the  other  planets,  it  may  be  sufficient 
to  consider  it  as  a  spherical,  or  globular  body,  yet  Sir 
Isaac  Newton  has  demonstrated,  from  mathematical 
principles,  that  it  is  an  o6late  spheroid,  or  that  it  is  flatted 
at  the  poles,  and  jutted  out  towards  the  equator....and  he 
computed  the  difference  to  be  in  the  ratio  of  229  to  230.. 
1  he  reason  of  this  may  be  easily  understood  by  a  fami- 
liar  proof.  If  a  ball  of  soft  clay  be  fixed  on  a  spindle,  and 
whirled  round,  we  shall  find  it  will  jut  out,  or  project  to- 
ward the  middle,  and  flatten  towards  the  poles. 

Circumference  and  diameter  of  the  Earth 
According  to  the  best  observations,  the  diameter  of  the 
earth  has  been  computed  to  be  7,990  miles,  and  its  cir- 
cumference 25,038  miles,  English  measure.  This  cir- 
cumference IS  conceived,  for  the  conveniency  of  measur- 
ing, to  be  divided  into  360  parts,  or  degrees,  each  de- 
gree containing  60  geographical  miles,  or  69 »  English 
miles.  These  degrees  are  subdivided ;  each  degree  into 
60  minutes,  and  each  minute  into  60  seconds,  and  are 
marked  thus  d**.  m'.  s^.  in  geographical  calculations. 

Axis  of  the  Earth.  The  axis  of  the  earth  is 
that  imaginary  line,  passing  through  its  centre,  on  which 
It  IS  supposed  to  revolve  once  in  24  hours.  The  extreme 
pomtfc  of  this  line  are  called  the  poles,  one  in  the  North, 
and  the  other  in  the  South,  and  are  of  great  use  in  de- 
termining the  distance,  and  situation  of  places,  as  they 
approach  to,  or  recede  from,  the  equator. 

Circles  of  the  Globe.  These  are  commonly 
divided  into  greater,  six  in  number,  and  leaser,  which  are 
only  four.  The  former  pass  through  the  centre  of  the 
earth,  and  divide  it  into  two  equal  parts  or  hemispheres; 
the  latter  are  parallel  to  the  greater,  but  cannot  pass 
through  the  centre,  or  divide  the  earth  into  two  equal 
parts. 

Equator.         The  first  orfnt  riiv<l<>  \a  *v.^  o.^.,»^^. 
or  equinoctial  line ;  because  the  sun,  when  moving  in  it, 


INTRODUCTION. 


xvit 


ihakes  the  days  and  nights  of  equal  length,  all  over  the 
world.  It  passes  through  the  east  and  west  points  of  the 
globe,  and  divides  it  into  northern  and  southern  hemis- 
pheres, and  is  itself  divided  into  360  degrees. 

Horizon.        This  great  circle  is  represented  on 
the  globe,  by  a  broad  circular  piece  of  wood  encompass- 
ing the  globe,  and  dividing  it  into  ufifier  and  lonver  hemis- 
pheres.   It  is  distinguished  also  into  acrmble  and  rational. 
The  firsyi^t  which  bounds  the  utmost  prospect  of  our 
8*&ht,  ^^Hp  view  the  heavens  around  us,  and  deter- 
mines tl^lphg  or  setting  of  the  sun  and  stars,  in  any 
particular  place.  The  second  encompasses  tht  globe  ex- 
actly in  the  middle,  and  its  poles  are  called  the  zemth  and 
nadir;  the  former  exactly  over  our  heads,  and  the  latter 
under  our  feet — The  broad  woodert  circle  on  the  terres- 
I  trial  globe  that  represents  the  horizon  has  several  circles 
drawn  upon  it,  exhibiting  the  signs  of  the  zodiac,  the  num- 
ber of  degrees  in  each,  and  the  days  of  the  month,  &c. 

Meridian.  This  circle  is  represented  by  the 
brass  ring  on  which  the  globe  hangs  and  turns:  it  cuts 
the  equator  at  right  angles,  is  divided  into  360  degrees, 
and  serves  to  divide  the  earth  into  eastern  and  western 
Ehemispheres.  It  is  called  the  meHdian^  because  when  the 
sim  comes  to  the  south  part  of  it,  he  has  reached  his  me- 
ridian altitude,  and  it  is  then  meridiesy  or  mid-day.—' 
There  are  commonly  marked  on  the  globe  24  meridians, 
one  through  every  fifteen  degrees  of  the  equator. 

Zo^'Ac.       The  Zodiac  is  a  broad  circle^  which  cuts 
the  equator  obliquely ;  in  which  the  twelve  signs  are  re- 
presented. In  the  middle  of  this  circle,  is  supposed  ano- 
ther called  tne  eclifitic,  in  which  the  sun  never  deviates  in 
ihis  annual  course,  advancing  30  degrees  in  every  month. 
I —  1  he  twelve  signs  are, 

7.  Libra  =a=  ....September 

8.  Scorpio      »*L.... October 

9.  Sagittarius  /  ....November 
10.  Capricorn  >5  ....December 
H.  Aquarius    ^^....January 
12.  Pisces         K  ....February 


I.Aries     V... .March 

2,  Taurus  Q.... April 

3.  Gemini  n...,May 
[4.  Cancer  25.... June 
[5.  Leo        SI  ....July 

6.  Virgo    ^....August 


h% 


xvKi 


INTRODUCTION. 


CoLURES,  If  we  imagine  two  great  circles,  both 
passing  through  the  poles  of  the  world;  one  of  them 
through  the  equinoctial  points  aries  and  librae  and  the 
other  through  the  solstitial  points  cancer  and  capricom, 
we  have  an  idea  of  the  colures....the  one  is  called  the  equi- 
noctial)  the  other  the  solstitial  colure. — These  are  all  the 
great  circles. 

Tropics.  These  are  two  circles  drawn  parallel 
to  the  equinoctial,  distant  from  it  23^  ^^9MMt  ^"^  ^°' 
wards  the  north,  called  the  tropic  of  can^^Bhe  other 
towards  the  south,  called  the  tropic  of  capn||ni. 

Polar  Circles.  If  two  other  circles  are  sup- 
posed to  be  drawn  at  the  same  distance  of  23|  degrees 
from  the  polar  points,  these  are  called  the  polar  circles. 
The  northern  is  called  the  arctic^  and  the  southern  the 
an/-arcrfc....These  are  the  four  lesser  circles. 

ZoBTE.  The  Zones  are  5  in  number:  the  torrid 
zone,  or  that  portion  of  the  earth  lying  between  the  tro- 
pics, which  by  the  ancients  was  erroneously  supposed  to 
be  uninhabitable,  on  account  of  its  heat....two  temperate, 
or  that  portion  comprised  between  the  tropics  and  the 
polar  circles — and  two  frigid,  that  are  inclosed  within  the 
polar  circles  and  the  poles,  and  are  the  most  unfit  for 
human  habitation  of  any  pan  of  the  earth. 

Climates.  These  are  certain  divisions  of  the 
earth,  determined  by  the  various  lengths  of  the  day ;  and 
there  are  30  of  them  between  the  equator  and  either  pole. 
In  the  first  24,  the  days  increase  by  half  hours:  and  in 
the  remaining  six,  which  lie  between  the  polar  c '  rcle  and 
the  pole,  the  days  increase  by  months  Georgia,  and 
the  Carolinas  are  comprised  within  the  5th  climate,  and 
the  longest  day  about  14h.  30m.;  the  nuddle  states  with- 
in the  6th,  longest  day  about  1 5h.  New  York  and  the 
eastern  states  within  the  7th,  the  longest  day  about  i  5h. 
30m. 

Latitude.  The  latitude  of  any  place  is  its  dis- 
tance fmm  the  equator,  either  north  or  south,  but  can 
never  exceed  90  degrees  either  way,  as  such  is  the  dis- 
tance from  the  equator  to  either  pole. 

Parallels  of  Latitude.  These  are  imaginary 
circles,  parailei  witli  the  equator  which  are  drawni.o  iii- 


INTRODUCTION. 


XIX 


tcrsect  the  meridian  of  any  place,  and  to  designate  its 
Irue  situation. 

Longitude.  The  longitude  of  any  place  is  its 
situation  with  regard  to  tlie  first  meridian,  reckoned  to- 
ward the  east  or  west.  Modem  globes  and  maps  fix  the 
f*rst  meridian  in  the  capital  city  where  they  are  made. 
In  England,  the  first  meridian  is  fixed  at  London  or 
Greenwich ;  in  France,  at  Paris ;  and  in  the  United  States, 
at  Philadelphia.  No  place  can  have  more  than  1 80  de- 
grees of  longitude.  The  degrees  of  longitude  are  not 
equal  like  those  of  latitude,  but  diminish  as  the  meri- 
dians approach  the  poles.  Hence,  in  sixty  degrees  of  la- 
titude, a  degree  of  longitude  is  but  half  the  quantity  of 
a  degree  at  the  equator,  and  so  of  the  rest. 


PROBLEMS  PERFORMED  ON  THE  GLOBE. 

1.  To  find  the  Latitude  qf  a  filace. 

Bring  the  place  under  that  semicircle  of  the  brazen 
meridian  where  the  divisions  begin  at  the  equator,  and 
observe  what  degree  the  place  is  under,  and  it  is  the  la- 
titude required. 

2.  To  rectijy^the  Globt  to  the  Latitude  of  a  place. 

Elevate  the  p^  above  the  horizon  till  its  altitude,  ob- 
served on  the  brazen  meridian,  be  equal  to  the  latitude 
of  the  place,  and  it  is  then  said  to  be  rectified  to  the  la- 
titude, and  it  so  far  stands  right  for  the  solution  of  all 
problems  for  that  latitude. 

3.  To  find  the  Longitude  of  a  place  from  Philadelphia. 

Bring  the  place  to  the  graduated  edge  of  the  brazen 
meridian,  and  observe  the  point  of  the  equator  which  lies 
under  it,  and  the  distance  of  that  point  from  the  point 
where  the  meridian  of  Philadelphia  cuts  the  equator,  is 
the  longitude  required. 


XX 


INTRODUCTION. 


4.  Given  the  Latitude  and  Longitude  qfa/ilacey  tojind 
where  the  filace  it.  % 

luring  the  giveti  degree  of  longitude  to  the  brazen  me- 
ridiari)  and  then  under  the  given  degree  of  latitude  upon 
that  meridian)  you  have  the  place  required. 

5.   When  it  is  noon  at  any  filace  A,  tojind  the  hour  at  any 

other  place  D. 

Bring  A  to  the  meridian,  and  set  the  index  to  XII ; 
then  turn  the  globe  till  B  comes  under  the  meridian,  ".x\\ 
the  index  will  shew  the  hour  at  B.  If  it  be  not  noon  at 
A,  set  the  index  to  the  hour,  and  proceed  as  before,  and 
ybu  get  the  corresponding  hour  at  B. 

'"'  6.  Tojind  the  distance  of  A  Jrom  B. 

\ 

V. 

Bring  A  to  the  meridian,  and  screw  the  quadrant  of 
altitude  over  it,  and  carry  it  to  B,  and  you  get  the  num- 
ber of  degrees  between  A  and  B,  which  multiply  by  59,2, 
the  miles  in  one  degree,  and  you  get  the  distance  required. 

7.  Tojind  the  bearing  of  B from  A. 

Rectify  the  globe  for  the  latitude  of  A,  and  bring  A  to 
the  meridian,  and  fix  the  quadrant  of  altitude  to  A ;  then 
direct  the  quadrant  to  B,  and  the  point  where  it  cuts  the 
horizon  shews  the  bearing  required. 

8.  At  an  hour  of  the  day  at  B^  tofinri  the  place  Ay  to  which 

the  Sun  is  verticaL 

Find  the  sun*s  place  in  the  ecliptic,  and  bring  it  to  the 
brazen  meridian,  and  you  find  its  declination  on  the  me- 
ridian; then  bring  B  to  the  meridian,  and  set  the  index 
to  the  given  hour,  and  turn  the  globe  till  the  index  comes 
to  XII  at  noon,  and  the  place  under  the  sun's  declination 
?ipoii  the  meridian  is  that  required. 


lacct  to  find 

i  brazen  me* 
atitude  upon 

?  /lOur  at  any 


dex  to  XII ; 
icridian,  ".wi 
i  not  noon  at 
i  before,  and 


8. 

\ 

quadrant  of 
et  the  num- 
iply  by  69,2, 
ice  required. 

d  bring  A  to 
e  to  A ;  then 
[•e  it  cuts  the 


e  A'i  to  which 


ring  it  to  the 
I  on  the  me- 
et the  index 
index  comes 
s  declination 


introduction:  xxi 

9.  To  know  the  length  of  the  day  and  night  at  any  filace  at 
any  time  qf  the  year. 

Elevate  the  pole  according  to  the  latitude  of  the  place; 
find  the  sun's  place  in  the  ecliptic  -at  that  time ;  which 
being  brought  to  the  east  side  of  the  horizon,  set  the  in- 
dex of  the  horary  circle  at  noon,  or  the  upper  figure 
XII ;  and  turning  the  globe  about  till  the  aforesaid  place 
of  di^  ecliptic  touch  the  western  side  of  the  horizon,  look 
upon  the  horary  circle;  and  where  the  index  points, 
reckon  the  number  of  hours  to  the  upper  figure  of  XII, 
for  that  is  the  length  of  the  day ;  the  complement  of  which 
I  to  24  hours  is  the  length  of  the  night. 

10.  3ro  exfikUny  in  general^  the  alteration  of  the  length* 
of  the  days,  and  the  difference  qfthe  secsom. 

Put  patches  upon  the  ecliptic  from  aries  both  ways  to 
■the  tropics,  and  let  them  represent  so  many  different 
Isituations  of  the  sun ;  and  then,  the  globe  being  rectified 
Ho  the  latitude  of  the  place  (by  art.  3),  turn  it  about  and 
you  will  see,  for  north  latitude,  that  as  the  patches  ap- 
proach the  tropic  of  cancer,  the  corresponding  diurnal 
ires  will  increase;  and  as  the  patches  approach  the  tro- 
pic of  Capricorn,  the  diurnal  arcs  will  decrease;  also,  the 
rormer  arcs  are  greater  than  a  semicircle,  and  the  latter 
less;  and  the  patch  in  the  equator  will  describe  a  semi- 
fcircle  above  the  horizon.    When  therefore  the  sun  is  in 
khe  equator,  the  days  and  nights  are  equal;  as  he  ad- 
vances towards  the  tropic  of  cancer,  the  days  increase, 
\m  the  nights  decrease,  till  he  comes  to  the  tropic,  where 
the  days  are  found  to  be  longest,  and  the  nights  shortest; 
then  as  he  approaches  the  equator,  the  length  of  the  days 
Himinishes,  and  that  of  the  nights  increases,  and  when 
the  sun  comes  to  the  equator,  the  length  of  the  days  and 
nights  is  equal.   Then  as  he  advances  towards  capiicom, 
Ihe  days  continue  to  diminish  and  the  nights  incr^till 
tie  comes  to  that  tropic,  where  the  days  are  shortest  and 
^he  nights  are  longest;  and  then  as  he  approaches  the 
.quatoi,  tnc  uays  mcicasc  and  the  nights  diminish;  and 
ft'hen  he  comes  to  the  equator,  the  days  and  nights  are 


xxn 


INTRODUCTION. 


equal.  And  whatever  be  the  latitude,  when  the  sun  is 
in  the  equator,  days  and  nights  are  equal.  To  an  inha- 
bitant at  the  pole,  the  sun  will  appear  to  be  half  a  year 
above  the  horizon,  and  half  a  year  below.  To  an  inha- 
bitant at  the  equator,  the  days  and  nights  will  appear  to 
be  always  equal ;  also,  all  the  heavenly  bodies  will  be 
found  to  be  as  long  above  the  horizon  as  below.  At  the 
arctic  circle,  the  longest  day  will  be  found  to  be  24  hours, 
and  the  longest  night  24  hours;  this  appears  by  rectify- 1 
ing  the  globe  to  that  lat'.tude,  and  observing  the  patches 
at  the  tropics  of  cancer  and  of  Capricorn.  I.astly,  it  will 
be  found  that  all  places  enjoy  equally  the  sun  in  respect 
to  time,  and  are  equally  deprived  of  it ;  the  length  of  the 
days  at  one  time  of  the  year  being  found  exactly  equal  to  | 
the  length  of  the  nights  at  the  opposite  season.  This  ap- 
pears by  putting  patches  upon  the  ecliptic,  at  opposite 
points  of  it. 

,11.  To  find  at  any  Day  andHour^  the  Places  where  the  Sun\ 
is  risings  set  tin  tf^  or  on  the  Meridian  j  also,  those  Places  \ 
which  are  enlighteneu,  and  where  the  Twilight  is  begin- 
ning  and  ending. 

Find  (by  art.  8)  the  place  to  which  the  sun  is  vertical 
at  the  given  hour,  and  bring  the  same  to  the  meridian, 
and  rectify  the  globe  to  a  latitude  equal  to  the  sun's  de- 
clination. Then  to  all  those  places  under  the  western  se- 
tnicircle  of  the  horizon,  the  sun  is  rising;  to  those  under] 
the  eastern  semicircle,  the  sun  is  setti7ig;  and  to  those  un- 
der the  meridian  it  is  noon. 

Also,  all  places  above  the  horizon  are  enlightened,  andj 
all  those  below  are  in  the  dark  hemisphere. 

Lastly,  in  all  those  places  18®  below  the  western  hori* 
2on,  the  twilight  is  just  beginning  in  the  morning,  and  inl 
those  IB*  below  the  eastern  horizon,  is  just  ending  in  the] 
evening^. 

To  find  all  the  Places  to  which  a  Lunar  Eclifise  is 
visible  at  any  Instant. 

Find  the  place  to  which  the  sun  is  vertical  at  any  time, 

a   I — :_~  d.u.^4-  ■.^^n,>^  ♦«  *-Ua.  r,ani^V%    Q*»rl  fl-»«»  ^a/'lmef  -will  he 


INTRODUCTION. 


xxiu 


n  the  suii  is 
To  an  inha- 
half  a  year 
To  an  inha- 
ill  appear  to 
►dies  will  be 
low.  At  the 
be  24  hours, 
's  by  rectify- 1 
the  patches 
.astly,  it  will 
in  in  respect 
length  of  the 
ctly  equal  to  | 
>n.  This  ap- 
I  at  opposite 


')here  the  Sun 
those  Placesl 
'ight  is  begin- 

m  is  vertical  I 
le  meridian,! 
the  sun's  de- 
e  western  se* 
\  those  under  | 
.  to  those  un« 

ghtened,  and 

vestem  horl- 
rning,  and  in| 
inding  in  the! 


'  Edifise  is 

[  at  any  timC) 
clipse  will  be 


|visible  tp  all  the  hemisphere  under  the  horizon,  because 
the  moon  is  then  opposite  to  the  sun. 


)N  THE  DIVISIONS   OF   THE    SURFACE    OF   THE    EARTH. 

1 .  The  surface  of  the  earth  contains  land  and  water. 
"he  great  collection  of  water  is  called  the  »«x,  or  the 
Hean;  and  this  is  divided  into  three  principal  parts;  the 
Atlantic  Ocean,  which  divides  Eurofie  and  AJHca  from 
imerica;  the  Facile  Ocean,  or  great  South  Sea,  which  di- 
odes Asia  from  America;  and  the  Indian  Sea,  which  lies 
^etween  Africa  and  Malacca^  Sumatra^  Jarva,  Mw  Holland^ 
cc.    Besides  these,  there  are  others  which  take  their 
lames  from  the  countries  against  which  they  are  situ- 
ated: as  the  Irish  Sea,  th«  Ger;nan  Sea.     There  is  also 
le  Mediterranean  Sea,  dividing  Eurofie  from  Africa;  the 
^lack  Sea;  the  Caspian  Sea,  which  is  not  connected  with 
le  other  Seas;  the  Red  Sea,  &c.  &'c. 

2.  A  day,  or  gulf  is  a  part  of  the  sea  running  iiito  the 
md,  so  as  to  have  a  considerable  proportion  of  it,  more 

jr  less  according  to  circumstances,  bounded  by  shores; 

the  bay  of  Biscay^  the  bay  of  Bengali  Hudsor^a  bay, 
\:ardigan  bay;  the  gulf  of  Venire,  the  gulf  of  Mexico^ 
Se  gulf  of  Jaftan,  Sec.  &c.     If  the  extent  into  the  land^ 

but  small,  it  is  called  a  creek,  a  haven,  or  a  road. 

3.  A  strait,  or  straight,  is  a  narrow  part  of  the  sea 
mning  between  two  countries,  and  connecting  two 
--•   as  the  straits  of  Dover,  the  straits  of  Gibraltar, 


sas 


e  straits  of  Sunda,  the  straits  oi  Magellan,  &c.  &c.    "- 
4.  A  considerable  body  of  inland  fresh  water  is  called' 
lake;  as  the  lake  of  Geneva,  lake  Ontario,  lake  of  Der- 


tene,  &c.  &c. 


5.  A  considerable  stream  of  inland  water  which  runs 
to  the  sea,  is  called  a  river;  and  smaller  streams 
jhich  run  into  a  river,  are  called  brooks. 

6.  A  current  is  a  stream  of  water  upon  the  sea.    Un- 
fer  the  equator  there  are  some  very  violent  ones,  against 

Which  a  ship  cannot  make  any  way.   There  is  one  which 

--.rries  a  ship  very  swiftly  from  Ajrica  to  Atnerira,  but 

cannot  return  the  same  wav.     Governor  Pmvnai  oK- 


XXIV 


INTRODUCTION. 


serves  that  this  current  performs  a  continual  circulationj 
setting  out  from  the  coast  of  Guinea^  crossing  over  the 
Mlantic,  setting  into  the  gulf  of  Mexico  by  the  south, 
and  sweeping  round  by  the  bottom  of  the  gulf,  it  issues 
on  the  north  side,  and  goes  along  the  coast  o^  Morth 
America  till  it  arrives  at  Nieitfoundland^  where  it  is  turn- 
ed back  across  the  Atlantic  to  the  coast  of  Europe,  and 
thence  southward  to  the  point  from  which  it  sets  out.— 
In  St.  Gcorge*s  Channel  there  is  a  current  which  usually 
sets  in  eastward.  From  the  Haltic  a  current  sets  into 
the  British  Channel.  It  is  generally  allowed,  that  there 
is  always  a  current  setting  round  the  Capes  of  Finisterre 
and  Ortegal  into  the  bay  of  ^Biscay ;  and  Mr.  Rennell 
has  discovered  that  this  current  is  continued,  and  passes 
about  N.  W.  by  W.  from  the  coast  of  France,  to  the 
westward  of  Scilly  and  Ireland.  In  crossing  the  Atlan- 
tic therefore  for  the  English  Channel,  he  advises  the  na- 
vigator to  keep  in  the  parallel  of  48®.  45',  at  the  highest, 
lest  the  current  should  carry  him  upon  the  rocks  of  Scil- 
ly. From  an  ignorance  of  this  current,  many  ships  have 
been  lost  on  those  rocks. 

7.  A  very  great  extent  of  land  is  called  a  continent^  of 
which  there  are  two;  one  contains  Murofie^  Asia^  and 
Africa;  and  the  other  contains  America;  and  these  are 
called  the  four  quarters  of  the  world ;  the  former  is  called 
the  Eastern^  and  the  latter  the  Western  continent. 

8.  A  small  extent  of  land  surrounded  by  the  sea,  is 
called  an  Island. 

9.  If  land  run  out  from  the  main  and  be  joined  to  it 
by  a  narrow  slip— -the  first  is  called  a  fieninaula^  and  the 
latter  an  isthmus. 

.  10.  If  land  jut  out  into  the  sea,  without  an  isthmus,  it 
is  called  a  iiromontory^  and  the  point  of  it  is  called  a  cafie. 
Maps.  A  map  is  a  representation  of  the  Earth, 
or  a  part  of  it,  on  a  plane  surface.  It  differs  from  a  globe 
in  the  same  manner  as  a  picture  does  from  a  statue.  The 
globe  truly  represents  the  earth,  whereas  a  map,  being  a 
plane  surface,  cannot  represent  a  spherical  body.  The 
cardinal  fioints  are  the  north,  south,  -east  and  west.  The 
north  is  considered  as  the  upper  part  of  the  map,  and  the 
south  the  bottom ;  the  east  is  on  the  right  hand,  and  the 


INTRODUCTION. 


XX  v 


west  on  the  left.  From  the  top  to  the  bottom  are  drawn 
meridians,  or  lines  of  longitude;  and  from  side  to  side,  pa- 
rallels of  latitude.  The  outermost  of  the  meridians,  and 
parallels,  are  marked  with  degrees  of  latitude  and  longi- 
tude, by  means  of  which,  and  the  scale  of  miles  commonly- 
placed  in  the  corner  of  the  map,  the  situation,  distance, 
&c.  of  places  may  be  found,  as  on  the  artificial  globe. 

Length    of    miles   in    different   Countries. 
Agreeably  to  Dr.  Halley's  calculations. 

The  English  statute  mile  consists  of  5280  feet,  1760 
yards,  or  8  furlongs. 

The  Russian  Verst  is  little  more  than  |  of  an  En- 
glish mile. 

The  Turkish,  Italian,  and  old  Roman  lesser  mile,  is 
nearly  one  English  mile. 

The  Arabian,  ancient  and  modern,  is  about  11  English. 

The  Scotch,  and  Irish  mile  is  about  1|  English. 

The  Indian  is  almost  3  English. 

The  Dutch,  Spanish,  and  Polish,  is  about  3|  English. 

The  German  is  more  than  4  English. 

The  Swedish,  Danish,  and  Hungarian,  is  from  5  to  6 
English. 

The  French  common  league  is  near  3  English ;  and 

The  English  marine  league  is  3  English  miles. 


GEOGRAPHY. 


EUROPE. 

AS  Europe  h  the  seat  of  letters  and  arts,  and  the  great- 
est exertions  of  mentalenergy  in  every  department;  and 
is  besides  the  native  region  of  the  chief  modern  geogra- 
phers, it  is  generally  the  region  first  treated.  But  before 
■we  proceed  to  consider  the  several  kingdoms  and  states 
comprised  in  this  division  of  the  globe,  it  may  be  proper 
to  offer  a  brief  and  general  description  of  the  whole. 

Extent.  This  part  of  the  globe  is  smallest  in 
extent,  yielding  considerably  to  Africa.  From  the  Portu- 
guese cape,  called  by  our  mariners  the  Rock  of  Lisbon, 
in  the  west,  to  the  Uralian  mountains  in  the  east,  the 
length  may  be  about  3,300  British  miles ;  and  the  breadth 
from  the  North  Cape  in  Danish  Lapland,  to  Cape  Mata- 
pan,  the  southern  extremity  of  Greece,  may  be  about 
2,350.  The  contents  in  square  miles  have  been  calculated 
f  .      at  two  millions  and  a  half:  the  inhabitants  1 5  0,000,000. 

Limits.  On  the  south,  the  continental  part,  is 
limited  by  the  Mediterranean  sea,  on  the  west  by  the  At- 
lantic, which  contains  the  furthest  European  isle  that  of 
Iceland,  Greenland  being  regarded  as  a  part  of  North 
America.  In  the  opinion  of  several  geographers,  the 
Azores  or  Western  Isles  are  clearly  European,  being 
nearer  to  Portugal  than  to  any  other  continental  land, 
while  the  Madeiras,  for  the  same  reason,  belong  to  Af- 
rica. On  the  north,  the  boundary  is  the  Arctic  Ocean, 
embracing  the  remote  isles  of  Spitzbergen  and  Novaya 
Zemlia,  or  the  New  Land.   -On  the  east,  it  is  bounded 

by  Asia. 

Ancient  Population.  The  ancient  population  of 
Europe  consisted  of  the  Celts  in  the  west  and  south :  the 
Fins  in  the  north-east,  and  the  Laps  or  Laplanders,  in 
the  furthest  north.  Those  ancient  inhabitants,  who  seem 
to  have  been  thinly  scattered,  were  driven  towards  the 
west  and  north  by  the  Scythians  or  Goths  from  Asia, 
whose  descendants  occupy  the  greater  part  of  Europe; 
by  the  Sarmatians  or  Slavonic  tribes,  also  from  Asia, 
the  ancestors  of  the  Russians,  roles,  oic.  and  who  were 


.lent  and  modern  Europe.     The  columns  of  H.vr„i.c 


piimked  its  western  boundary;  being  the  mountain' 


or 


ffi^fjLoTunhiuf^^ 


r 


by  \nc  cmrnijniaiis' or  cnairtjnic   rrrocsj  aiso  irom  iisia) 

the  ancestors  of  the  Russians)  Poles,  &c.  and  who  were 


[he  vig 


EUROPE.  27 

accompanied  by  the  Heruli;  using  what  is  now  called 
the  Leltic  speech,  to  be  found  in  Prussia,  Lithuania, 
Samogitia,  Courland,  and  Livonia,  being  a-kin  to  the 
Slavonic  language,  yet  uith  many  shades  of  distinction. 
From  Afnou  the  colony  of  Iberi,  and  northern  Maui^ani, 
passed  mto  Spain  at  a  very  early  period.  The  later  ac- 
cession of  Hungarians,  and  Turks  from  Asia  may  like- 
wise  be  commemorated. 

Rkligion.  The  Christian    Religion   prevails 

hroughout  Europe  except  in  Turkey,  where  however  at 
least  one  half  of  the  inha'oitants  are  attached  to  the  Greek 
church.     Wherever  the  Christian  faith  has  penetrated, 
knowledge,    mdustry,    and  civillaation   have   followed  I 
among  the  barbarous  tribes  in  the  north  the  progress  was 
unhappily   slow,  Scandinavia  remaining  Pajjan  till  the 
eleventh  century ;  and  some  Slavonic  tribes  on  the  south 
of  the  Baltic  till  the  thirteenth ;  nay,  it  is  not  above  a 
century  ago  since  the  Laplanders  were  converted  by  mis- 
r.T^"'  ^J.^^^'-k.     The  two  grand  distinctions  are/ 
Catholics  and  Protestants:  the  former  in  the  south,  where? 
:  the  passions  are  more  warm  and  the  imagination  morel 
iddighted  with  splendour;  the  latter  in  the  north^^T  el 
the  operations  of  the  judgment  predominate. 

Climate.       This  fair  portion  of  the  globe  is  chiefly 

norv:ni'h'^V'"^P''''*'  '°"^=  'f  ^«^h  distinctions  have 
|not  vanished  from  geography  since  modern  discoveries 

.es  ;  that  the  Alps  in  a  southern  latitude  present  moun- 

of  ice  unknown  m  Lapland;  that  the  torrid  zone 

mos  with  water  and  habitations,  and  may  perham 

pontain  mountains  covered  with  snow    Yet  freedom  fom 

Inland  Sk  as.         In  a  general  view  of  Europe  one 

r^ndTxten  of'th'  'f  interesting  features  is The'nr 

aei  and  extent  of  the  inland  seas;  justly  regarded  as  chief 

auses  of  the  extensive  industry  and  civilizSotan^^^^^^^^^^ 

cquent  superiority  to  the  other  grand  divisions  ofX 

klobe.     Among  inland  seas  the  Medite„"  ists  v 

f  re-eminent,  having  been  the  centre  of  ciWhza  on  to  a^ 

f'tl^X'^i^^'r  ^""P"     T*-  columns  of- He^^r; 
.^^^a,..d  u.  western  boundary;  being  the  mountain~or 


28 


EUROPE. 


rock  of  Ahyla,  now  called  Ceiita,  and  Kalpe  in  Spain, 
the  Gibrallar  of  modern  fame.  The  length  of  the  Medi- 
terranean is  about  2000  miles  to  its  farthest  extremity  in 
Syria;  but  in  ancient  maps  the  length  has  been  extended 
to  about  2500  miles.  On  its  northern  side  open  two  large 
gulfs,  that  of  Venice  and  the  Archipelago;  the  former 
being  the  Adriatic,  the  latter  the  Egean  sea  of  the  an- 
cients. From  this  last  a  strait  called  the  Hellespont  con- 
ducts to  the  sea  of  Marmora,  the  classical  Propontis :  and 
another  now  styled  the  st  ait  of  Constantinople,  the  an- 
cient Thracian  Bosphorus,  leads  to  the  Euxine  or  Black 
sea;  which  to  the  north  presents  the  shallow  Palus 
Mxotis,  or  sea  of  Azof,  the  utmost  maritime  limit  of 
Europe  in  that  quarter. 

The  second  grand  inland  sea  of  Europe  is  the  Baltic, 
by  the  Germans  called  tne  Eastern  sea.  This  extensive 
inlet  opens  from  the  German  sea  by  a  gulf  pointing  N.  E. 
called  the  Skager  Rack;  and  afterwards  passes  south  in 
what  is  called  the  Cattegat,  to  the  S.  E.  of  which  is  the 
Sound  of  Elsinore,  a  strait  where  vessels  pay  a  tribute 
of  courtesy  to  Denmark.  The  Baltic  afterwards  spreads 
widely  to  the  N.  E.  and  is  divided  into  two  extensive 
branches  called  the  gulls  of  Bothnia  and  Finland,  both 
covered  or  impeded  with  ice  for  four  or  five  months  of 
the  northern  winter. 

The  third  and  last  inland  sea  of  Europe  is  that  called 
the  White  Sea  in  the  north  of  Russia. 

To  the  north  of  Europe  is  the  Arctic  ocean,  the  dis- 
mal and  solitary  reservoir  of  myriads  of  miles  of  ice; 
yet  this  enormous  waste  is  in  the  hand  of  Providence  a 
fertile  field  of  provisions  for  the  human  race.  Here  the 
vast  battalions  of  herrings  seem  to  seek  a  refuge  from  nu- 
merous foes,  and  to  breed  their  millions  in  security. 
About  the  middle  of  winter  emerging  fiom  their  retreat 
they  spread  in  three  divisions;  one  towards  the  west, 
which  covers  the  shores  of  America  as  far  as  the  Chesa- 
peake and  Carolina,  while  another  more  minute  squadron 
passes  the  strait  between  Asia  and  America,  and  visits  the 
coasts  of  Ramtschatka.  The  most  memorable,  the  cen- 
tral, division  reaches  Iceland  about  the  beginning  of 
March,  in  a  close  phalanx  of  surprising  depth  and  such 


EUROPE. 


St 


.  that  called 


extent  that  the  surface  is  supposed  to  equal  the  dimen- 
sions of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland. 

Rivers  AND  Mountains.  The  chief  rivers  and 
mountains  will  be  described  under  the  heads  of  the  par- 
ticular countries  to  which  they  belong. 

Governments.         The  kingdoms  and  states  of  Eu- 
rope may  be  considered,    1.  u\s  despotic  monarchies,  as 
those  of  Russia  and  'J'urkey :  2.  Absolute  monarchies,  as 
Spain,  Denmark,  8cc.  or,  3.  Limited  monarchies,  as  the 
empire  of  Germany,  kingdom    of  Great  Britain,    &c. 
Since  the  fall  of  Venice,  and  the  subversion  of  Svvisser- 
land  and  Holland,  scarcely  an  example  occurs  of  perma- 
nent and  fixed  aristocracy,  or  the  hereditary  government  of 
nobles.  Of  democracy,  or  more  strictly  speaking,  elective 
aristocracy,  a  few  cities  and  some  Swiss  cantons  may  pre- 
serve a  semblance ;  while  France  at  the  present  hour  is  a 
military  despotism, under  the  assumed  name  oHheFrencA 
Em/lire,  and  the  ferocious  tyranny  of  a  daring  usurper. 
1      At  the  beginning  of  the  nineteenth  century  the  Euro- 
pean states  comprised  in  the  first  order  are:    1.  The  uni- 
[ted  kingdoms  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland:  2.  France: 
13.  Russia:    4.  The  Austrian  dominions:    5.   Those  of 
?»russia:  6.  Spain:  7.  Turkey:  which  last  cannot  be  so 
justly  reduced  to  the  second  order ;  for  though  perhaps 
lapproaching  its  fall,  still  it  boasts  the  name  and  weight  of 
|an  empire. 

Under  the  second  order  have  been  arranged:   1.  Hol- 
riand  or  the  United  Provinces  now  called  the  Batavian  Re- 
Ipublic:  2.  Denmark:  S.Sweden:  4.  Portugal:  5.  Swis- 
jserlund.     In  the  third  are  considered  the  chief  states  of 
[Germany,  that  labyrinth  of  geography,   and  those  of 
[Italy.     The  kmgdoms  of  Sicily  and  Sardinia  might  per- 
Ihaps,  if  entire  and  unshaken,  aspire  to  the  second  order- 
land  an  equal  station  might  be  claimed  by  the  junctive 
ILIectorate  Palatine  and  Bavarian,  and  by  that  of  Saxony 
But  as  such  states  only  form  rather  superior  divisions  of 
Germany  and  Italy,  it  appeared  more  advisable  to  con- 
Isider  them  m  their  natural  intimate  connexion  with  these 
icountries. 

This  explanation  being  premised,  the  first  description 
shall  be  that  of  the  British  dominions. 

c2 


/ 


ENGLAND. 


CHAP.  I. 


NAMES,   SITUATIONS,  EXTENT,  8cC. 

Names.  THE  Phenicians  are  generally  supposed 
to  have  discovered  Great  Britain  and  Ireland  at  a  period 
of  very  early  antiquity ;  and  some  suppose  that  the  name 
of  Britain  originates  from  a  Phenician  word,  wliile  others 
with  more  probability  infer  it  to  have  been  an  indigenal 
term  derived  from  the  Brets,  tribes  of  which  appellation 
may  be  traced  in  Gaul  and  Scythia.  Among  the  first 
objects  of  the  Phenician  intercourse  was  tin,  whence  the 
Greek  name  of  Cassiterides  or  the  islands  of  tin. 

The  name  of  Anglia  or  England  is  well  known  to  have 
originated  from  the  Angles,  a  nation  of  the  Cimbric  Cher- 
sonese or  modern  Jutland,  who  settled  in  the  northern 
parts  in  the  fifth  century. 

Extent.  The  island  of  Great  Britain  extends 
from  fifty  to  fifty-eight  and  a  half  degrees  of  north  lati- 
tude, being  of  course  about  500  geographical  miles  in 
length.  Its  greatest  breadth,  from  the  Land's  End  to  the 
North  Foreland  in  Kent,  320  geographical  miles. 

England  is  bounded  on  the  east  by  the  German  Ocean; 
on  the  south  by  the  English  Channel ;  on  the  west  by  St. 
George's  Channel ;  on  the  north  by  the  Cheviot  Hills,  by 
the  pastoral  river  Tweed,  and  an  ideal  line  falling  south- 
west down  to  the  Firth  of  Sohvay.  The  extent  of  Eng- 
land and  Wales  in  square  miles  is  computed  at  49,450; 
and  the  population  being  estimated  at  8,400,000,  the  num- 
ber of  inhabitants  to  a  square  mile  will  of  course  be  169. 

Original  Population.  The  earliest  inhabitants 
of  England  are  supposed  to  have  been  the  Gael  or  South- 
ern Celts,  called  Guidels  by  the  Welch,  who  regard  them 


ly  supposed 
at  a  period 
It  the  name 
^liile  others 
n  indigenal 
appellation 
ng  the  first 
whence  the 
tin. 

)wn  to  have 
ibric  Cher- 
le  northern 

lin  extends 
north  lati- 
:al  miles  in 
End  to  the 
iles. 

nan  Ocean ; 
west  by  St. 
ot  Hills,  by 
lling-  south- 
:nt  of  Eng- 
at  49,450; 
0,  thenum- 
irse  be  169. 
inhabitants 
il  or  South- 
egard  them 


drawn  to  the  tarn*  Scale   ^,  i 

5K P" 


r,^^- 


Wnttl. 


YotthMaven    V  •   -.   «  ^■ 

JtusayStvrr  ^^^  ''^ff  PHeder^oyl. 


id^^     Sufibxtryll^ 


M£Ui\isicL. 


^IMt-'" 


ENGLAND. 


31 


as  their  predecessors.  Those  tribes  seem  to  have  arrived 
from  the  nearest  shores  of  France  and  Flanders,  and  were 
followed  by  the  Cimri,  or  Cimbri  from  the  same  regions 
whence  the  Angles  afterwards  proceeded.  But  the  Cim- 
bri were  northern  Celts,  the  ancestors  of  the  modern 
Welch.  The  Scythians  or  Goths  from  Asia  having  seized 
on  Germany  and  a  great  part  of  Gaul,  gradually  repel- 
ling the  Celts  towards  the  west,  appear  to  have  sent  co- 
lonies into  England  three  or  four  centuries  before  the 
Christian  era ;  for  Caisar  found  many  tribes  of  the  Bel- 
gae,  a  German  or  Gothic  nation,  established  on  the  south 
and  east  of  Britain.  Those  Belgae  may  be  justly  regard- 
ed as  the  chief  ancestors  ot  the  English  nation ;  for  the 
Saxons,  Angles,  and  other  northern  invaders,  though  of 
distinguished  courage  were  inconsiderable  in  numbers, 
and  the  ^English  language  bears  more  affinity  to  the  Frisic 
and  Dutch  than  to  the  Jutlandic  or  Danish. 

Under  the  dominion  of  the  Romans  even  the  Belgic 
j colonies,  unaccustomed  to  the  use  of  arms,  had  forgotten 
[their  former  valour  in  the  course  of  four  centuries  of  sub- 
jection. Pressed  by  ferocious  invaders,  they  seem  to  have 
invited  to  their  assistance  dangerous  allies  from  the  con- 
tinent.  '  The  Jutes  arrived  in  the  year  449,  and  founded 
Jie  kingdom  of  Kent  about  the  year  460;  they  also  took 
possession  of  the  Isle  of  Wight.    In  477  the  Saxons  first 
ippear,  and  the  kingdom  of  the  South  Saxons  commences 
W  that  epoch.  The  West  Saxons  arrived  in  the  year  495. 
■The  sixth  century  was  considerably  advanced  when  those' 
arbaric  colonies  were  increased  by  the  East  Saxons  in 
le  year  527;  but  the  first  appearance  of  the  great  branch 
r  the  Angles,  who  were  to  perpetuate  their  name  in  the 
luntry  at  large,  did  not  occur  till  the  year  547,  when  the 
Miant  Ida  led  his  troops  to  Bernicia.    The  East  Angles 
Ikmg  possession  of  Norfolk  in  the  year  575,  the  southern 
Hd  eastern  coasts  were  almost  wholly  in  the  power  of  the 
Ivaders,  who  soon  extending  their  conquests  into  the  in- 
frior  of  the  country  founded  in  the  year  585  the  king- 
jm  of  Mercia,  the  last  of  the  Heptarchy. 
[England  proper  is  divided  into  forty  counties,  and  the 
fincipahty  of  Wales  into  twelve,  thus  making  the  whole 
imber  of  counties  in  South  Britain  fifty-two. 


< 


^, 


I 
flannel ff^arra^f   \ 


C  tVraih 
Old  Shore 


ij,'^     Ciirr^f'us^ 


A  'iitiila' 
VcyJ. 


I     S  minis  r/% 
\S^Kxidci  I      *A-r- 

ZnaHi>naclfi\  r  >' 
KjtmbecuJai 


7? 


Ikrml 


^ 


\        CfyltmsaJ. 


^nisti-qhufll. 


Jforthl. 


VaUiey 


'  Wi-lcfii 


Xundy-I'tk 
MurtlanciP.\ 


■I— ll|l|    u. 


OldSh 


Carr.fyus^ 


MofifiinUt^^^*  Oh  Kirs y 

^  V"^  S 1"  

(K;wy.^^V^  Is  iie  s 


'iytrtairds'H^ 


'Marni 
Vafvey 


ffiur/. 


^\yn:i 


ubloi     Antfles-i  a  ^^\ 


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0         ^Vfr^Stwtthi 


■Bartlandf.^ 


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Tdvert 


(   -1  ■j'     .    oAV^w'tar^^f 


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<5i. 


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ii 


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£iue     i  f^o^iQitidle 


S2 


ENGLAND. 


The  principal  epochs  of 


Historical  Epochs. 
the  English  history,  are, 

1 .  'I'he  population  of  England  by  the  Celts. 

2.  The  Belgic  colonies,  who  introduced  agriculture. 

3.  The  Roman  conquest.  Britain  was  only  seen  by 
Julius  Caesar.  The  Roman  conquest  began  in  the  reign 
of  (Claudius,  and  in  that  of  Domitian  the  Roman  Eagle 
hud  been  displayed  as  far  as  the  Grampian  mountains. 

4.  The  arrival  of  the  Saxons  and  Angles  in  the  fifth 
century. 

5.  The  Danish  conquest  A.  D.  1016.  The  Danish 
monarchs  of  England  were  Canute,  Harold,  and  Hardi- 
canute ;  but  the  sceptre  returned  to  the  Saxon  line  A.  D. 
1042. 

6.  The  Norman  conquest,  A.  D.   1066. 

7.  The  great  charter  granted  by  John  at  Runymede. 

8.  Not  to  mention  the  conquest  of  Wales  and  the  tem- 
porary subjugation  of  Scotland,  the  civil  wars  between 
the  houses  of  York  and  Lancaster  may  be  regarded  as 
the  next  memorable  epoch. 

9.  The  Reformation  introduced  by  Henry  VHL  and 
Elizabeth. 

10a  The  civil  wars  under  Charles  I. 

11.  The  Revolution. 

12.  The  war  with  the  American  colonies  forms  not 
only  an  epoch  of  singular  novelty,  but  of  the  most  im- 
portant consequences. 

Antiquitiks.  Those  of  the  first  Celtic  inhabit- 
ants were  probably  as  usual  among  savage  nations,  con- 
structed of  wood,  and  of  course  there  can  be  no  remains. 
Some  rude  barrows  and  heaps  of  stones  may  perhaps  be- 
long to  the  Druidic  tribes,  but  Stonelienge,  the  large 
barrows  or  tumuli,  &c.  more  properly  belong  to  the  Belgic 
colonies.  Stonehenge  is  situated  near  the  capital  of  the 
ancient  Belgae,  and  there  is  a  similar  monument,  but 
said  to  be  of  far  greater  extent,  near  Vannes,  -a  town 
on  the  French  coast  which  was  possessed  by  the  Belgae. 
At  Stonehenge  there  appear  to  be  three  principal  circles 
of  stones,  the  outer  connected  together  by  an  uniform 
pavement  as  it  were  at  the  top,  to  which  the  chiefs  might 
ascend  and  speak  to  the  surrounding  crowd.  A  second  cir- 


w-H 


ENGLAND. 


33 


clc  consists  of  detached  upright  stones  about  five  feet  in 
height,  while  the  highest  are  eighteen.     Within  this  is  a 
grand  oval,  originally  consisting  of  five  trilithons  of  two 
huge  stones  crossed  by  another  at  the  top  and  inclosing 
smaller  stones,  which  seem  to  have  been  seats,  and  a  large 
flat  stone  commonly  called  the  altar,  but  which  seems  to 
have  been  the  throne  or  sear  of  judgment.     There  is  be- 
sides a  very  high  stone  towards  the  north-east  or  rising 
sun,  and  near  this  a  large  flat  stone  encompassed  Avith  a 
mound,  which  is  probably  the  real  altar  on  which  human 
victims  were  sometimes  sacrificed.     There  are  also  two 
other  stones  at  a  considerable  distance  to  the  E.  and  W. 
land  the  whole  seems  to  be  in  the  midst  of  a  very  exten- 
Uive  circle,  marked  by  an  eastern  embankment  almost 
jeffaced  by  the  lapse  of  years,   and  affording  sufficient 
Ispace  for  all  the  males  of  the  tribe  or  nation.   These  rude 
[structures  were  probably  erected  for  the  purpose  of  judi- 
jciary  proceedings,  as  well  as  the  immolation  of  human 
IsacriBces. 

The  Roman  antiquities  of  England  have  been  repeat- 
redly  illustrated.      The  greatest  number  of  Roman  in- 
scriptions, altars,  &c.  has  been  found  in  the  north,  along 
Ithe  great  frontier  wall,  which  extended  from  the  western 
iSea,  to  the  estuary  of  Tyne.     The  Roman  roads  were 
lalso  striking  monuments  of  their  power. 
j     The  Saxon  antiquities  in  England  are  chiefly  edifices, 
[sacred  or  secular;  many  churches  remain,  which  were 
[altogether,  or,  for  the  most  part,  constructed  in  the  Sax- 
Ion  period,  and  some  are  extant  of  the  tenth,  or,  perhaps, 
Ithe  ninth  century.    The  vaults  erected  by  Grimbald,  at 
[Oxford,  in  the  reign  of  Alfred,  are  justly  esteemed  cu- 
Irious  relics  of  Saxon  architecture.     The  oldest  castles 
[seem  to  consist  of  one  solitary  tower,  square, or  hexap-o- 
nal :  one  of  the  rudest  specimens,  is  Coningsburg  Castle, 
in  Yorkshire:    but,  as  that  region  was  subject  to  the 
[  Danes,  till  the  middle  of  the  tenth  century,  it  is  probably 
Danish. 

The  Danish  power  in  England,  tliough  of  considera- 
ble duration  in  the  north,  was  in  the  south,  brief  and 
transitory.  The  camps  of  that  nation  were  circular, 
like  those  of  the  Belgae  and  Saxons,  while  those  of  Ro- 


^fl 


34 


ENGLAND. 


man  armies  are  known  by  the  square  form:  and  it  is  be- 
lieved that  the  only  distinct  relics  of  the  Danes  are  some 
castles  to  the  north  of  the  llumber,  and  a  few  stones  with 
Kunic  inscriptions. 

The  monuments  styled  Norman,  commenced  after  the 
conquest,  and  extendcl  to  the  fourteenth  ct^Hury;  when 
what  is  called  th<'  :•'■  •  UDthic  began  to  appear,  which  in 
the  sixteenth  cen.V!  s  supplanled  by  the  mixed;  and 
this  in  its  turn  viei  i  .  to  the  ^irecian.  In  general  the 
Norman  style  far  exceeds  the  Saxon  in  the  size  of  the 
edifices  and  the  decoration  of  the  parts.  The  churches 
become  more  extensive  and  lofty,  and  the  windows 
larger,  and  more  diversified.  Uncouth  animals  begin  to 
yield  to  leaves  and  flowers.  This  improvement  is  visible 
in  King's  College,  Cambridge,  and  many  other  grand 
specimens  in  the  kingdom. 

Religion.        Christianity  was  planted  very  early 
in  this  Island,  perhaps  by  St.  Paul,  or  some  of  his  imme- 
diate disciples;  for  it  is  certain  that  in  the  year  150,  th« 
professors  of  our  holy  faith  were  numerous. — By  de- 
grees, the  papal  authority,  and  the  corruptions  of  the 
church  of  Rome  spread  themselves  here,  as  well  as  in 
all  the  other  nations  of  Europe.     Jno.  Wickliffe,  (an 
Englishman)  in  the  reign  of  Edward  III.  has  the  honour 
of  being  the  first  person  in  Europe  who  had  firmness 
enough  publicly  to  expose  the  corruptions  of  the  Romish 
church.     After  passing  through  a  flood  of  persecution, 
the  nation  at  length  shook  off  entirely  the  shackles  of 
papal  domination,  and  established  a  religious  system,  and 
an  ecclesiastical  government  for  itself. — The  present  con- 
stitution of  the  Church  of  England  is  E/iiscoJialj  and  it  is 
governed  by  bishops,  every  one  of  whom  has  a  seat  and 
vote  in  the  house  oi"  peers,  as  all  their  benefices  were 
converted  into  temporal  baronies  by  the  Norman  con- 
queror.    Ever  since  the  time  of  Henry  VIII.  the  sove- 
reigns of  England  are  heads  of  the  church ;  but  this  is 
very  little  more  than  nominal,  as  the  kings  never  inter- 
meddle in  the  affairs  of  the  church. 

The  Church  of  England  is  now,  beyond  any  other  na- 
tional established  church,  tolerant  in  its  principles.  No 
religious  sect  is  prevented  from  worshipping  God  in  that 


ENGLAND. 


35 


manner  which  their  consciences  approve. — Of  course  re- 
ligious sects  huve  multiplied  here  beyond  the  example  of 
any  other  country  in  Europe.     But  it  would  certainly  be 
wise  policy  in  the  government  to  provide  for  the  support 
of  the  Episcopal  clergy,  by  some  other  means  than  by 
lylhes  and  church  rates  collected  by  distraint  from  dis- 
jsenters;  as  they  are  the  source  of  more  just  and  general 
[discontent  in  the  nation,  than  any  other  law  or  custom. 
I  Although  the  great  bulk  of  the  inhabitants  is  Protestant: 
bldl  there  are  many  families  in  England  who  profess  the    j 
ioman  Catholic  religion,   and  exercise  it  under  very   / 
lild  and  gentle  restrictions.     None  perhaps  are  more  !\ 
eaceable  and  loyal  subjects.  J  ' 

Government.         The    government  is   a  limited  \ 
)^narchy,  counterpoised  by  two  senates,  one  of  heredi-  I 
Iry  peers,   the  other  of  representatives,  who  are,  op  1/ 
ught  to  be,  chosen  by  the  people,  though  I  am  far  from  I 
ecommendmg  universal  suffrage,  which  would  be  the  \ 
|:reatest  scourge  that  could  befal  that  nation. 
I   The  acknowledged  prerogatives-  of  the  monarch  are 
Ihiefly  to  declare  war  and  make  peace;  to  form  allian- 
|es  and  treaties;  to  grant  commission  for  levying  men 
Ind  arms,  and  even  for  pressing  mariners.     To  the  kin^ 
llso  belong  all  magazines,  ammunition,  castles,  forts, 
fcorts,  havens,  and  ships  of  war;  he  has  also  the  special 
Management  of  the  coinage,  and  determines  the  allov/'A 
weight,  and  value.     The  prerogative  likewise  extends  to      ^ 
lie  assembhng,  adjouri    lent,  prorogation,  and  dissolu- 
lon  ot  parliament,  and  to  its  removal  to  any  place.     The 
Dverejgn  also  enjoy s  the  nomination  of  all  officers  on  sea 
|r  land;  of  all  magistrates,  counsellors,  and  officers  of 
Kate ;  of  al  bishops,  and  other  great  ecclesiastical  dig- 
Mtaries ;  and  is  not  only  the  fountain  of  honour,  but  of  ius- 
^ce,  as  he  may  pardon  any  offence,  or  mitigate  the  pen- 
ilty.     But  he  cannot  enact  new  laws,  or  impose  new  tax-  \ 
^s,  without  the  consent  of  both  houses  of  parliament.  * 

^\1    iF-    T^'^'^t^  f°""*^^^  ^'^'™^  ^^^  "«^t  considera. 
lion.    Origmally  both  the  Nobles  and  the  Commons  met 

^n  one  house,  and  the  division  into  two  houses,  a  leeisla- 

|ive  check  unknown  in  any  other  country,  may  be  t-  ^ 

|;arded  as  the  sole  foundation  of  English  1  bert^    tL 


86 


ENGLAND. 


r 


House  of  Peers  may  be  said  to  have  existed  from  the  ear- 
liest period  of  the  English  history,  but  concerning  the 
orii^in  of  the  Commons  there  is  a  dispute  between  the 
tory  and  whig  writers.  The  present  constitution  of  the 
parlian»ent  of  England,  may,  however,  be  traced  with 
certainty,  to  neat  the  middle  of  the  thirteenth  century. 
'Hie  peers  are  hereditary  senators  in  their  several  de- 
grees, of  duke,  marquis,  earl,  viscount  and  baron.  When 
summoned  to  parliament,  every  peer,  in  his  lawful  ab- 
sence, may  constitute  a  firoxy  to  vote  for  him,  which  no 
member  of  the  House  of  Commons  may  do. 

The  House  of  Commons  consists  of  knights,  citizens, 
and  burgesses,  chosen  by  counties,  cities,  and  burghs,  in 
consequence  of  royal  writs  directed  to  the  sheriffs.  The 
members  have  certain  privileges,  as  exemption  from  ar- 
rest in  civil  causes,  on  their  journey  to  parliament,  dur- 
ing their  attendance,  and  on  their  return;  nor  can  they 
be  questioned  out  of  the  House  for  any  sentiment  there 
uttered.  The  Commons  ff^rm  the  grand  inquest  of  the 
realm,  and  may  impeach  or  accuse  the  greatest  peers; 
but  their  chief  privilege,  and  upon  which  their  whole 
power  depends,  is  the  levying  of  money,  in  which  they  are 
deservedly  so  jealous,  that  they  will  not  permit  the  small- 
est alteration  in  a  money  bill.  Since  the  union  witii  Ire- 
land, the  House  of  Commons  consist  of  six  hundred  and 
fifty-eight  members.  A  speaker  or  president  is  chosen 
at  the  meeting  of  every  new  parliament. 

Acts  of  parliament  are  first  presented  in  the  form  of 
l)ills^  and,  after  having  gone  through  various  aird  exact 
forms,  generally  observed  with  great  minuteness,  become 
law  on  receiving  the  sanction  of  the  crown.  Adjourn- 
ments may  happen  in  one  session ;  but  a  prorogation  ter- 
minates the  session. 

Such  are  the  three  grand  component  parts  of  the  En- 
glish constitution;  but  perhaps  its  most  beneficial  and 
popular  effects  arise  from  the  mode  of  administering  jus- 
tice, and  other  ramifications. 

The  Privy  Council  formerly  possessed  great  power, 
but  at  present  is  chiefly  employed  in  deliberations  on  af- 
fairs of  sudden  emergency,  on  peace  and  war,  and  spe- 
cial provinces  of  the  royal  prerogative. 


ENGLAND. 


I  the  form  of 
IS  aird  exact 
less,  become  j 
I.     Adjourn- 
rogation  ter- 

ts  of  the  En- 
eneticial  and  I 
listering  jus* 

*reat  power,] 
•ations  on  af- 
•ar,  and  spe- 


In  later  times  since  the  management  of  the  House  of 
Commons  became  the  chief  object  of  the  crown,  the 
Chancellor  of  the  Court  of  Exchequer,  as  superintendant 
of  the  public  revenue,  is  the  officer  generally  considered 
as  prime  minister.  The  distribution  of  fifty  millions  a 
year,  joined  with  the  royal  support,  has  recently  carried 
his  power  to  the  highest  elevation. 

Judicature  AND  Laws.         The  judicature  of  Eng- 
'  land  is  worthy  of  the  highest  applause  with  regard  to  pre- 
cision and  purity  ;  and  bribes,  so  frequent  m  other  coun- 
tries, being  totally  unknown,  the  saving  of  this  expcnce 
[must  be  candidly  poised  against  other  legal  disbursements. 
[The  trial  by  jury  is  another  glorious  feature  of  English 
yurisprudence,  handed  down  from  the  Saxon  times,  and 
|s  justly  respected  as  the  very  safeguard  of  the  lives,  liber- 
lies,  and  properties  of  the  nation. 

The  forest  laios  relate  chiefly  to  offences  committed  in 
)r  near  the  precincts  of  the  royal  forests.  Martial  laip 
lay  be  proclaimed  by  the  king,  regent,  or  lieutenant  ge- 
neral of  the  kingdom ;  and  even  in  time  of  peace,  though 
the  prerogative  be  rarely  employed  except  during  war. 
It  is  in  fact  a  dictatorial  power  never  exerted  except  on 
great  emergencies.  The  trials  are  summary  and  severe  as 
the  necessity  of  the  case  authorises. 

Among  the  courts  of  law  the  next  in  dignity  to  the 
House  of  Lords  is  the  Court  of  King's  Bench  so  called, 
because  the  sovereign  was  understood  to  judge  in  person, 
^he  Court  of  Chancery  judges  causes  in  equity  to  mode- 
rate the  rigour  of  the  law,  and  defend  the  helpless  from 
oppression.     The  Court  of  Common  Pleas  determines  as 
the  name  imports,  the  common  suits  between  subject  and 
|*ubject,  and  tries  all  civil  causes,  real,  personal,  or  min- 
>fled,  according  to  the  precise  precepts  of  the  law.     The  I 
Jourt  of  Exchequer,  so  termed  from  the  ancient  mode  of  I 
iccounting  upon  a  chequered  board,  decides  all  causes  re- 
gating  to  the  royal  treasury  or  revenue. 

The  judges  perform  their  circuits  in  the  spring  and  i 
iutumn,  and  in  the  mean  while  more  minute  cases  are 
determined  by  the  justices  of  the  peace,  who  may  be 
traced  to  the  fourth  year  of  Edward  III.  Every  three 
tnonths  the  justices  of  the  county  meet  at  what  is  calle<l 
|the  quart^er  session^,  and  the  grand  Inquest  or  jury  of  tlte 


\ 


I 


/.    A 


X       - 


SB 


ENGLAND. 


/ 


county  is  here  summoned,  which  inquires  concerning 
crimes,  and  orders  the  guilty  to  jail  till  the  next  circuit  or 
assizes. 

Such  are  the  chief  magistrates  and  officers  in  the  coun- 
try.  Cities  and  towns  are  generally  ruled  by  a  mayor  and 
aldermen,  or  by  similar  magistrates  under  diflerent  ap- 
pellations, whose  judicial  power  little  exceeds  that  of  justices 
of  the  peace. 

PopuLATioK.  The  population  of  England  and 
Wales  by  the  late  enumeration  amounts  to  nine  millions 
three  hundred  and  forty-three  thousand  five  hundred  and 
seventy-eight,  containing  4,715,711  males,  4,627,867  fe- 
males, 1,896,723  families,and  1,575,923, inhabited  houses.  ,] 
That  of  Ireland  is  generally  computed  at  three  millions,  ^ 
while  that  of  Scotland  has  been  lately  found  to  equal  one 
million  six  hundred  and  seven  thousand  seven  hundred  and 
sixty.  The  various  colonies  in  America,  &c.  will  not  per- 
hapr.  be  found  to  amount  to  one  million  ;  but  the  American 
states  boast  a  British  progeny  of  six  millions,  and  the 
English  language  is  probably  diffused  to  the  extent  of 
twenty  millions  of  people. 

Army.  The  army  during  the  late  war  was  supposed 
to  exceed  170)000  with  30,000  fencibles,  and  78,000  militia, 
the  \olu.iteers  being  supposed  to  be  60,000. 

Navy.         But  the  great  rampart  and  supreme  'Jory  I 
of  Great  Britain  consist  in  her  navy,  in  size,  strength,  and 
number  of  ships,  far  exceeding  any  examples  on  record. 
There  are  195  ships  of  the  line,  27  fifties,  251  frigates, 
and  314  sk-^ps— Total  787.     For  this  immense  fleet  the 
number  of  seamen  amounts  to  between  one  hundred  and  | 
one  hundred  and  twenty  thousand. 

Revenue.  The  excise  forms  one  of  the  nHost  pro- 
ductive branches  of  the  revenue,  amounting  to  between 
Sv2"en  and  eight  millions.  Next  stand  the  customs,  which 
prouuce  about  half  that  sum.  The  stamps  and  incidental 
taxes,  as  they  are  termed,  arise  to  near  three  millions, 
The  land  tax  has  recently  been  rendered  perpetual,  and 
sold  to  proprietors  of  estates  and  other  individuals.  But 
instead  of  the  land  tax,  now  appear  those  on  sugar,  tobac- 
co, and  malt,  amounting  to  two  millions  seven  hundred 
and  fifty  thousand  pounds  ;  the  other  supplies  arise  from 
the  East  India  Company,  lotteries,  &c.     In  the  year  1799, 


ENGLAND. 


39 


8   conccnung 
lext  circuit  or 

s  in  the  coun- 

'  a  mayor  and 

difierent  ap- 

that  of  justices 

England   and 
nine  mUlions 

hundred  and 
4,627,867  fe- 
xbited  houses, 
hree  millions, 

to  equal  one  „ 
I  hundred  and  ' 
.  will  not  per- 
the  American 
ions,  and  the 
the  extent  of 

was  supposed 
'8,000  militia, 

ipreme  'Jory 
strength,  and  j 
s  on  record. 
251  frigates,: 
lense  fleet  the 
:  hundred  and  J 

the  riiost  pro- 
g  to  between 
stoms,  which 
and  incidental 
iree  millions, 
erpetual,  and 
viduals.  But 
sugar,  tobac' 
;ven  hundred 
les  arise  from 
lie  year  1799i 


it  was  supposed  that  the  additional  sums  raised  by  loans, 
and  other  methods,  swelled  the  national  expenditure  to 
near  sixty  millions  sterling. 

Of  the  permanent  taxes  the  greater  part  is  employed  in 
discharging  the  interest  of  the  national  debt,  which  after 
the  American  war  amounted  to  more  than  239  millions, 
while  the  interest  exceeded  9,000,000.  At  present  the 
•ational  debt  is  about  480,000,000,  und  the  interest  about 
19,000,000. 

Tc  alleviate  this  growing  burthen,  a  sinking  fund  was 
inscituted  in  1786,  by  which  between  20  and  30  millions 
Tiay  be  considered  as  already  rede!;med. 

Political  importance  and  relations.  With 
uch  a  prodigious  command  of  national  treasure,  the  poli- 
jcal  importance  and  relations  of  Great  Britain  may  be 
jaid  to  be  diffused  over  the  world  ;  for  wher'.fver  meney 
Influences  man,  there  may  her  power  be  perceived.  She 
.an  afford  the  most  effectual  aid  to  her  allies,  or  inflict 
'  e  greatest  injury  on  her  enemies,  by  means  of  her  navy, 

id  her  pecuniary  resources,  of  any  power  in  Europe 

er  principal    commercial  relation  is  with  the    United 
'states  of  America  ;  and  the  interest  of  the  two  countries 
connected  by  so  many  strong  ties,  that  nothing  but  ex- 
treme folly  can  mterrupt  their  harmony  and  mutual  good 
©flices.  Closely  united,  they  might  not  only  secure  their  own 
i^eace,  but  promote  the  tranquillity  of  Europe.— .Russia,  the 
-ermanic  Empire,  Holland,  Denmark,  Sweden,  and  Por- 
igal  are  all  mterested  in  preserving  a  good  understanding 
ith  Britain,  as  she  is  in  cultivating  their  friendship  and 
ommerce.— Her  principal,   and  most  formidable  enemy 
%  Ij  ranee,  agamst  which  she  cannot  exercise  too  much 
igilance,— not  onljr  as  her  own  implacable  foe,  but  as  Xhh 
lemy  of  all  the  nations  of  Europe  that  refuse  to  submit 
lo  her  dictation,  and  to  co-operate  with  her  in  annihilatino- 
the  British  empire.  ** 

Manners  AND  Customs.         The  English,  generally 

peaking,  are  a  plain,  honest,  humane,  and  brave  people 

n  manufactures  they  are  ingenious,   and  excel  all  other 

tjations.     In  navigation  and  trade,  they  are  bold,  enter- 

ipnsing  and  liberal.     Among  foreigners  they  are  Accused 

^f  a  cold  restraint  m  their  manners,  but  this  perhaps  wjU 


n 


\ ' 


40 


b:ngland. 


be  found  to  exist,  more  in  appearance  than  reality,  on  a 
closet'  ac(|uaintancc. 

The  simplicity  of  the  English  cookery  strikes  foreigners 
as  much  as  that  of  the  dress,  which  even  among  the  great 
is  very  plain,  except  on  the  days  of  court  gala. 

The  houses  in  England  are  peculiarly  commodious,  ne^, 
an  cleanly  ;  and  domestic  architecture  seems  here  arrived 
at    i  greatest  perfection. 

The  amusements  of  the  theatre  and  of  the  field,  and 
various  games  of  skill  or  chance,  are  common  to  most 
nations.  Hexing  and  prize  fighting,  the  beating  of  bulls, 
and  bears  is,  it  is  believed,  nearly  discontinued:  one  of 
the  most  peculiar  amusements  of  the  common  people  is, 
the  rinpfing  of  long  peals,  with  many  changes,  which  deafen 
those  who  are  so  unhappy  as  to  live  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  the  church. 

Language.  From  the  situation  of  the  country,  and 
other  causes,  the  English  language  participates  of  two 
grand  sources  of  origination  ;  and  unites  in  some  degree 
the  force  of  the  Gothic  with  the  melody  of  the  Latin  dia- 
lects. The  ancient  ground,  and  native  expression  origi- 
nate from  the  Gothic  divisions  of  the  Belgic,  Saxon,  and 
Danish  ;  but  particularly  from  the  Belgic,  as  will  appear 
from  comparison  with  the  Dutch  and  Frisic.  The  lan- 
guages of  Latin  origin  have,  however  supplied  a  vast  wealth 
of  words,  sometimes  necessary,  sometimes  only  adopted 
because  th#y  are  more  sonorous,  though  not  so  emphatic 
as  tjie  original  Gothic. 

The  construction  of  the  English  language  is  peculiar, 
and  renders  the  study  of  it  very  difficult  to  foreigners, 
The  German  and  other  Gothic  dialects  present  declen- 
sions of  nouns,  and  other  correspondencies  with  the  Latin, 
while  in  English  all  such  objects  are  accomplished  by  pre- 
fixes. Anomalies  also  abound,  and  are  too  deep  rooted  to 
be  easily  eradicated. 

Literature.  The  grand  feature  of  English  lite- 
rature Js  original  genius,  from  Roger  Bacon  to  Shakes- 
peare, Milton,  Newton  and  Locke.  The  reign  of  Queen 
Anne  hay  generally  been  accounted  the  Augustan  age  in 
England.  To  the  names  aforementioned  there  were  added 
in  that  reign  those  of  Addison,  Prior,  Pope,  Swift,  Ar- 
buthnot,  Congreve,  Steele,  Rowe,  and  many  other  eminent 


ENGLAND. 


41 


writers.  But  perhaps  superior  abilities  to  those  which 
distinguish  the  reign  of  the  present  king,  in  almost  every 
department  of  literature  and  arts,  and  a  more  general  and 
liberal  patronage  of  intellectual  labour,  were  never  known 
in  any  age  or  nation  of  the  world. 

Arts.  The  present  state  of  the  arts  in  England  is 
worthy  of  so  opulent  and  refined  a  country,  and  the  pro- 
gress has  been  rapid  beyond  example.  Until  the  begin- 
ning of  the  eighteenth  century  England  was  obliged  to 
import  her  chief  painters  from  abroad.  Hut  the  patronage 
and  exertions  of  the  reign  of  George  III.  have  not  only 
been  crowned  with  a  great  perfection  of  the  arts,  but  has 
been  exuberant  in  the  production  of  artists  of  deserved 
reputation.  In  painting,  engraving,  architecture  and  sculp- 
ture, England  can  boast  native  names,  not  inferior  to  the 
most  celebrated  in  Europe. 

Schools.  The  education  of  the  lower  classes  in 
England  has  been  too  much  net^lected,  before  the  institu- 
tion of  Sunday  schools.  The  middle  and  higher  ranks  of 
English  spare  no  expence  in  the  education  of  their  sons, 
by  private  tutors  at  home,  or  at  what  are  called  day  schools 
and  boarding  schools.  The  most  eminent  public  schools 
are,  those  of  St.  Paul's,  Westminster,  Eaton,  and  Win- 
chester ;  and  from  them  have  risen  some  of  the  most  dis- 
tinguished ornaments  of  their  country.  The  scholars  in 
due  time  proceed  to  the  universities  of  Oxford  and  Cam- 
bridge ;  foundations  of  an  extent  and  grandeur  that  impress 
veneration.  In  Oxford  there  are  17  different  colleges,  and 
16  in  Cambridge,  besides  several  halls,  or  smaller  colleges. 
Of  the  two,  Oxford  is  the  more  majestic,  from  the  gran- 
deur of  the  colleges  and  other  public  buildings,  and  the 
superior  neatness  of  the  streets  ;  but  the  chapel  of  the 
King'scollege  at  Cambridge  is  supposed  to  excel  any  single 
edifice  of  the  other  university. 

Cities  and  towns.  In  giving  an  account  of  the 
cities  and  towns  in  England,  our  plan  will  admit  of  only  a 
brief  sketch  of  a  few,  that  are  most  noted  for  their  dignity, 
wealth  and  population. 

London,  the  metropolis  of  England}  is  situated  in  an 
extensive  plain  or  valley  watered  by  the  Thames,  and 
only  confined  on  the  north  by  a  few  small  elevations.  It 
now  includes  Southwark,  a  borough  on  the  other  side  of  the 

D2 


42 


ENGLAND, 


Thames,  afid  Westminster,  another  city  on  the  west.  The 
noble  river  Thames  is  here  about  440  yards  in  breadth, 
crowned  with  three  bridges,  crowded  with  a  forest  of  masts, 
and  conveyi)  aj  into  London  the  wealth  of  the  globe,  form- 
ing an  excellent  port,  without  the  danger  of  exposure  to 
a  maritime  enemy.     London  presents  almost  every  va- 
riety which  diversifies  human  existence.     Upon  the  east 
.  it  is  a  sea  port,  replete  with  mariners,  and  with  the  trades 
I  connected  with  that  profession.     In  the  centre,  it  is  the 
I  seat  of  numerous  manufactures  and  prodigious  commerce ; 
I  while  the  western  or  fashionable  extremity  presents  royal 
'l  and  noble  splendour,  amidst  scenes  of  the  highest  luxury 
'  and  most  ruinous  dissir  ation. 

Few  cities  can  boast  a  more  salubrious  situation,  the 
si'bjacent  soil  being  pure  gravel;  by  which  advantage, 
united  with  extensive  sewers,  the  houses  are  generally 
dry,  cleanly,  and  healthy.  Provisions  and  fuel  are  poured 
into  the  capital,  even  from  distant  parts  of  the  kingdom ; 
the  latter  article  being  coals,  from  the  coimties  of  Nor- 
thumberland and  Durham,  transferred  by  sea,  and  thence 
denominated  sea-coal.  London  requires  in  one  year 
101,075  beeves,  707,456  sheep,  with  calves  and  pigs  in 
proportion :  the  vegetables  and  fruits  annually  consumed, 
are  valued  at  a  mi'lion  sterling. 

The  population  of  London  has  by  some  been  exagge- 
rated to  a  million  oi  souls ;  but  by  the  late  enumeration, 
it  does  not  contain  above  885,577.  Its  length  from  Hyde- 
park  corner  on  the  west  to  Poplar  on  the  east,  is  about 
six  miles;  the  breadth  unequal,  from  three  miles  to  one 
and  less ;  the  circumference  may  be  about  sixteen  miles. 
The  houses  are  almost  universally  of  brick,  and  disposed 
with  insipid  similarity ;  but  the  streets  are  excellently 
pared,  and  have  convenient  paths  for  foot  passengers. 
Another  national  feature,  which  is  the  most  conspicuous 
in  the  metropolis,  is  the  abundance  of  charitable  founda- 
tions; the  multitude  and  rich  display  of  shops,  the  torrent 
of  population  constantly  rolling  through  the  streets ;  the 
swarm  of  carriages ;  and  the  blaze  of  nocturnal  illumina- 
tions which  extend  even  to  four  or  five  miles  of  the  en- 
..: ^„      T"i,«  »u..«^u<.o  nnA  <^Vianf>io  *>Vi-p*>fl  200  in  num- 

ber.     There  are  three  noble  bridges  across  the  Thames 
within  the  limits  of  the  Bills  of  mortality.  There  are  4050 


ENGLAND. 


.43 


seminaries  of  education ;  between  13  and  14  thousand 
vessels  (besides  river  craft)  arriving  and  departing;  which 
carry  between  60  and  70  millions  sterling,  annually,  to 
and  from  this  great  metropolis. 

York.  Next  to  the  capital  in  dignity,  though  not 
in  extent  nor  opulence  is  York:  which  is  not  only  the 
chief  of  a  large  and  fertile  province,  bul  may  be  regarded 
as  the  metropolis  of  the  North  of  England.  The  name 
has  been  gradually  corrupted  from  the  ancient  Eboracum  ; 
by  which  denomination  it  was  remarkable  even  in  the  Ro- 
man times,  for  the  temporary  residence  and  death  of  the 
Roman  Emperor  Severus.  This  venerable  city  is  divided 
by  the  river  Ouse;  and  the  Gothic  cathedral  is  of  cele- 
brated beauty,  the  western  front  being  peculiarly  rich, 
the  chief  tower  very  lofty,  and  the  windows  of  the  finest 
painted  glass.  York  divides  with  Edinburgh  the  winter 
visits  of  the  northern  gentry.  Its  inhabitants,  according 
to  the  late  enumeration,  amount  to  16,145. 

Liverpool.         But  Liverpool,  in  Lancashire,  is  now 
much  nearer  to  London  in  wealth  and  population.     In 
1699,  Liverpool  was  admitted  to  the  honour  of  being  con- 
stituted a  parish.     In  1710,  the  first  dock  was  construct- 
ied;  and  the  chief  merchants  came  originally  from  Ireland. 
iThenceforth  the  progress -^as  rapid,  and  in  1760  the  po- 
[pulation  was  computed  at  25,787  souls.     In   1773,  they 
[amounted  to  34,407;  in  1787,  to  56,670;  and  by  the  enu- 
[meration  in  1801,  they  were  found  to  have  encreased  to 
77,653.     Its  increase  has  been  equal  to  that  of  Philadel- 
[phia  in  the  United  States. 

The  number  of  ships  which  paid  duty  at  Liverpool  in 
1757,  was  1371 ;  in  1794,  they  amounted  to  4265.  In  the 
■African  trade,  a  distinguishing  feature  of  Liverpool,  there 
was  only  one  ship  employed  in  1709;  in  1792,  they 
amounted  to  132.  In  the  recent  act  for  the  contribution 
of  seamen  to  the  royal  navy,  according  to  the  ships  regis- 
tered in  each,  the  Estimate  is  as  ibllows : 


London,       5725     Hull,  731     Bristol,         666 

Liverpool,    1711     Whitthavcn,   700     Whitby.       573 
Newcastle,  1240    Sunderland,     669    Ywmo'uth,  506 


44 


ENGLAND. 


Bristol  is  still  a  large  and  flourishing  city,  though 
much  of  its  commerce  with  the  West  Indies  and  America 
have  passed  t'^  Liverpool:  The  trade  with  Ireland  has 
centered  chiehy  in  this  city.  It  is  pleasantly  situated  at 
the  confluence  of  the  Froome  with  the  Avon.  The  hot- 
wells  in  the  neiphbourhood  appear  to  have  been  known  in 
1480 :  but  the  water  was  chiefly  used  externally,  till  about 
the  year  1670;  when  a  baker  dreaming  that  his  diabetes 
was  relieved  by  drinking  the  water,  he  tried  the  experi- 
ment and  recovered.  8ince  that  period  its  reputation  has 
increased,  and  many  commodious  and  elegant  erections 
have  contributed  to  recommend  these  wells  to  invalids.  In 
1787",  Bristol  employed  about  1600  coastii\g  vessels,  and 
4 1 6  ships  engaged  in  foreign  commerce.  Its  population 
in  1801  was  63,645. 

Manchester,  celebrated  for  its  extensive  cotton  ma- 
nufacture, and  the  machinery  of  Arkwright,  in  1708  con- 
tained but  8000  inhabitants.  At  the  present  time  they 
amounted  to  84,020. 

Birmingham  was  originally  a  village  belonging  to  a 
family  of  the  same  name.  It  is  now  famous  for  its  va- 
rious and  extensive  manufactures  of  hardware,  and  fancy 
articles  of  every  kind.  Between  1741  and  1790,  Bir- 
mingham has  experienced  an  augmentation  of  72  streets, 
4172  houses,  and  23,320  inhabitants:  the  population  in 
1801,  amounted  to  73,670. 

Sheffield,  though  distinguished  as  early  as  the  thir- 
teenth century  for  its  manufacture  of  cutlery,  had  not 
risen  to  any  degree  of  celebrity  till  about  the  middle  of 
last  century.  At  that  period,  all  its  manufactures  were 
conveyed  weekly  to  the  metropolis,  on  pack  horses.  In 
1615,  the  population  did  not  exceed  2152  persons,  at  pre- 
sent it  is  equal  to  31,314. — There  are  many  other  towns 
in  England  of  considerable  fame,  but  those  already  men- 
tioned are  the  most  distinguished  for  their  extensive  trade 
and  manufactures,  and  the  bounds  of  this  epitome  will  not 
permit  us  to  enlarge. 

Wales,  which  is  a  part  of  South  Britain,  and  gives  a 
title  to  the  Heir  apparent,  is  a  country  that  abounds  with 
the  sublime  and  beautiful  features  of  nature,  but  does  not 
contain  many  towns  of  considerable  note  or  magnitude. 
Yet  it  may  not  be  impror)er  to  take  notice  of  Caernarvon, 


ENGLAND. 


45 


esteemed  tlie  chief  town  of  North  Wales,  and  famous 
for  the  grandeur  of  its  castle,  one  of  the  most  magnificent 
in  Europe.  Here  was  born  Edward  II.  surnamed  of 
Caernarvon,  who  was  immediately  created  Prince  of 
Wales;  his  fether  having  promised  to  the  vanquished 
Welsh  a  prince  born  in  their  own  country,  and  who  could 
not  speak  a  word  of  English. 

Edifices.  In  a  brief  enumeration  of  the  principal 
edifices  m  England,  the  royal  palaces  demand  of  course 
the  first  attention.  Windsor  castle,  situated  on  an  emi- 
nence near  the  Thames,  has  an  appearance  truly  grand, 
and  worthy  of  the  days  of  chivalry.  The  view  extends  as 
far  as  the  cathedral  of  St.  Paul's ;  and  the  whole  scene 
strongly  impresses  the  circumstances  so  vividly  delineated 
In  Gray's  pathetic  Ode  on  Eaton  College.  This  palace 
contains  many  noble  paintings,  particularly  the  cartoons 
of  Raphael.  Hamfiton-Court  is  in  a  low  situation,  orna- 
mented with  aqueducts  from  the  river  Colne.  This 
palace  is  also  replete  with  interesting  pictures.  The 
royal  (gardens  of  Kenv  are  truly  worthy  of  a  great  and  sci- 
entific prince;  the  ground,  though  level,  is  diversified 
with  much  art;  and  the  collection  of  plants  from  all  the 
:  regions  of  the  known  world,  fills  the  admirer  of  nature 
[with  delight  and  surprise.  They  are  so  disposed,  that 
every  plant  finds,  as  it  were,  its  native  soil  and  climate; 
even  those  that  grow  on  rocks  and  lava  having  artificial 
substitutes. 

The  royal  palace  at  Greenwich  has  been  long  abandon- 
ed, but  U^e  observatory  still  does  credit  to  science.  It  is 
a  plain  <llM|ice  well  adapted  to  astronomical  observations, 
and  at  p^ent  is  superintended  by  Dr.  Maskelyne.  Dr. 
Herschell's  observatory,  instead  of  containing  his  teles- 
cope, is  suspended  from  it  in  the  open  air,  at  Slough, 
near  Windsor,  where  he  is  continually  extending  the 
bounds  of  astronomical  knowledge. 

Among  the  houses  of  the  nobility  and  gentry,  or  pa- 
laces, as  they  would  be  termed  on  the  continent,  the  first 
fame,  perhaps,  belongs  to  Stowe,  the  seat  of  the  Marquis 
of  Buckingham;  which,  for  its  enchanting  gardens,  has 
been  long  celebrated.  When  Mr.  Beckford's  magnificent 
erections  at  Fonthiii  are  completed,  that  fame  will  be  far 
surpassed.     Our  intention,  however,  >vill   be  better  ac- 


46 


ENGLAND. 


comp'ifehed  by  a  brief  enumeration  of  some  of  the  most 
celebrated  country  seats. 

Hagley,  the  seat  of  Lord  Littleton :  the  Leasowes  of  the 
late  Mr.  Shenstone;  Penshurst,  near  Tunbridge,  a  fa* 
mous  seat  of  the  Sidneys;  Wanstead,  of  the  Earl  of  Til- 
ney;  Blenheim  of  the  Duke  of  Marlborough;  the  seat 
of  the  Earl  Spenser,  at  Wimbleton ;  Wooburn  Abbey,  of 
the  Duke  of  Bedford ;  Louthcir-hall  of  Lord  Lonsdale ; 
Chatsworth,  of  the  Duke  of  Devonshire,  and  many  other 
splendid  edifices,  equally  honourable  to  the  country,  as  to 
their  opulent  proprietors. 

/         Bridges.         The  bridges  are  worthy  the  superiority 

■  of  the  English  roads ;  and  a  surprising  exertion  in  this 

;  department,  is  the  recent  construction  of  bridges  in  cast 

iron,  an    invention  unknown  to  all  other  nations.     The 

'<  first  example  was  that  of  Colebrook-dale,  in  Shropshire, 

;  erected  over  the  Severn,  in   1779.    Another  stupendous 

iron  bridge  was  thrown  over  the  harbour  at  Sunderland, 

about  six  years  ago;  the  height  of  which  is  100  feet,  and 

the  span  of  the  arch  236.     It  is  composed  of  detached 

pieces,  any  of  which,  if  damaged,  may  be  withdrawn,  and 

replaced  by  others.     When  viewed  from  beneath,  the 

elegance,  lightness,  and  surprising  height  of  the   arch, 

excite  admiration,  and  the  carriages  appear  as  if  passing 

among  the  clouds. 

Inland  Navigation.  The  earliest  inland  naviga- 
tion that  can  be  authenticated,  is  the  Sankey  canal,  began 
in  1755,  leading  from  the  coal-pits  at  St.  Helens  in  Lm- 
cashire,  to  the  river  Mersey,  and  constructed  in  order  to 
convey  coals  to  Liverpool.  The  length  of  t||(  canal  is 
twelve  miles,  with  a  fall  of  ninety  feet. 

But  the  Duke  of  Bridgewater  is  justly  venerated  as  the 
grand  founder  of  inland  navigation ;  his  spirit  and  opu- 
lence were  happily  seconded  by  Brindley,  than  whom  a 
greater  natural  genius  in  mechanics  never  existed.  It 
was  l:i  the  year  1758  that  the  first  act  was  obtained  for 
these  great  designs.  The  first  canal  extends  from  Wors- 
ley  mill,  about  seven  computed  miles  from  Manchester, 
and  reaches  that  town  by  a  course  of  nine  miles.  In  this 
short  space  almost  every  difficulty  occurred  that  can  arise 
in  slnular  schemes.  There  are  subterraneous  passages 
to  the  coal  in  the  mountain,  of  near  a  mile  in  length,  with 


ENGLAND. 


47 


the  most 

^es  of  the 
]ge,  a  fa-' 
irl  of  Til- 
the  seat 
Abbey,  of 
Lonsdale ; 
my  other 
itry,  as  to 

iperiority 
m  in  this 
;s  in  cast 
ns.  The 
iropshire, 
upendous 
inderland, 
I  feet,  and 
detached 
rawn,  and 
leath,  the 
the  arch, 
if  passing 

id  naviga- 
lal,  began 
IS  in  Lan- 
1  order  to 
1  canal  is 

ted  as  the 

and  opu- 

1  whom  a 

isted.     It 

ained  for 

m  Wors- 

inchester, 

.     In  this 

can  arise 

patiisages 

igth, 


air-funnels  to  the  top  of  the  hill,  some  of  them  Jhirty- 
seven  yards  perpendicular.  This  beautiful  canal  is  brought 
over  the  river  Irwell,  by  an  arch  of  thirty-nine  feet  in 
height,  and  under  which  barges  pass  without  lowering  their 
masts.  The  Duke  of  Bridgewater  soon  afterwards  ex- 
tended a  canal  of  twenty-nine  miles  in  length,  from  Long- 
ford-bridge, in  Lancashire,  to  Hempstones,  in  Cheshire. 

After  this  deserved  tribute  to  the  father  of  inland  navi- 
gation in  England,  it  will  be  eligible  to  review  the  other 
canals  in  a  geographical  manner,  proceeding  from  the 
north  to  the  south. 

First  in  order  is  the  Lancaster  canal,  from  Kendal  to 
West  Houghton,  a  space  of  about  seventy-four  miles. 

The  canal  from  Leeds  to  Liverpool,  winds  through  an 
extent  of  1 1 7  miles ;  and  frqm  this  canal  a  branch  also 
extends  to  Manchester. 

From  Halifax  to  Manchester  is  another  considerable 
canal;  length  thirty-one  miles  and  a  half,  begun  in  1794. 

Another  from  Manchester  towards  Wakefield;  and 
another  which  stretches  from  the  fonner,  south-east,  about 
fifteen  miles. 

Another  joins  the  river  Dun,  several  miles  above  Don- 
icaster,  to  the  river  Chalder,  near  Wakefield. 

To  pass  several  of  smaller  note,  the  Chesterfield  ca- 
lal  extends  from  Chesterfield  to  the  Trent,  at  Stockwith, 

course  of  forty-four  miles  and  three  quarters. 

In  Lincolnshire,  one  canal  extends  from  Lincoln  to  the 
Trent,  and  another  from  Horncastle  to  Sleaford.  Gran- 
tJiam  canal  reaches  from  that  town  to  the  river  Trent,  a 
course  of  thirty  miles. 

Liverpool  is  connected  with  Hull  by  a  canal  from  that 
long  navigable  river  the  Trent,  and  proceeding  north  to 
the  Mersey.  The  canal  which  joins  these  two  rivers  is 
styled  the  Grand  Trunk;  the  length  is  99  miles.  It  was 
attended  with  great  difficulties,  particularly  in  passing  the 
river  Dove,  in  Derbyshire,  where  there  is  an  aqueduct  of 
twenty-three  arches,  the  tunnel  through  the  hill  of  Hare- 
castle,  in  Staffordshire,  is  in  length  2880  yards,  and  ir.ore 
than  70  yards  below  the  surface  of  the  ground. 

From  the  Grand  Trunk  five  or  six  branches  extend  in 


"o""      ^m  among  wjiii;n  must  not  be  omitted  that 

with      ■  *»  ^^^  "ver  Severn,  near  Bewdley,  which  connects  the 


49 


ENGLAND. 


•port  of  Bri>itol  with  those  of  Liverpool  and  Hull ;  the 
^ngth  is  46  miles. 

''  From  the  city  of  Chester  one  canal  extends  to  the  Mer- 
sey, and  another  to  Naniptwich :  another  proceeds  south 
to  Shrewsbury,  uniting  the  Mersey  and  the  Severn  ;  with 
north*  west,  and  south-east  branches  of  considerable  lengtji. 

From  Coventry,  in  the  centre  of  the  kingdom,  canals 
extend  to  the  Grand  Trunk;  to  Ashby-dc-la-Zouch,  and 
to  the  Braunston,  or  Grand  Junction  canal. 

What  is  called  the  Staflbrdshire  canal,  extends  from  the 
Grand  Trunk  to  the  river  Severn ;  and  is  met  by  the  King- 
ton canal,  which  reaches  from  Kington  in  Herefordshire, 
so  as  almost  to  join  the  rivers  Trent  and  Wye. 

vSeveral  inland  navigations  pass  by  Birmingham.  The 
Union  canal  completes  a  course  of  forty-three  miles  and 
three-quarters,  from  Leicester  to  Northampton,  whence 
the  river  Nen  is  navigable  to  the  sea. 

Another  canal  extends  from  Gloucester  to  Hereford: 
and  the  south  of  Wales  presents  several  navigations  of 
considerable  length,  particularly  that  from  Brecon,  in 
Brecknockshire,  to  Newport,  in  Monmouthshire. 

The  Severn  is  not  only  joined  with  the  Trent  and  the 
Humber,  by  various  courses  of  navigation,  but  is  united 
with  the  Thames,  by  a  canal  extending  by  Stroud  to 
Lechlade,  a  course  of  near  forty  miles. 

Other  canals  from  the  Thames  branch  in  various  direc- 
tions; that  of  Oxford  joins  the  Coventry  canal,  after  a  course 
of  92  tniles.  The  Grand  .junction  canal  reaches  from 
Brentford,  on  the  Thames,  and  joins  the  Oxford  canal  at 
Braunston,  after  a  course  of  90  miles.  On  the  south  of 
the  Thames,  a  canal  proceeds  from  Reading  to  Bath  ;  an- 
other from  Weybridge  to  Basingstoke ;  and  a  third  from 
^Veybridge  to  Ciodalming.  There  are  some  other  smaller 
canals  which  we  have  not  room  to  detail. 

Manufactures  and  Commerce.  The  earliest 
staple  commodity  of  England  was  tin,  a  metal  rarely  found 
in  other  countries.  The  Phoenicians  first  introduced  it  into 
commerce,  at  least  five  or  six  hundred  years  before  the 
Christiaji  aera;  and  their  extensive  trade  soon  diffused  it 
among  the  Oriental  nations.  The  Romans  upon  their 
conquest  of  these  regions  did  not  neglect  this  source  of 
wealth.    Yet  even  in  the  reign  of  John,  the  product  was 


ENGLAND. 


49 


Hull  i  the 

to  the  Mer- 
;ecds  south 
;vcni ;  with 
uble  length, 
lom,  canals 
Zouch,  and 

Is  from  the 
Y  the  Kihg- 
efordshire, 


lam.     The 

;  miles  and 

J 

►n,  whence 

I 

Hereford : 

igations  of 
Brecon,  ir. 

X 

e. 

T 

;nt  and  the 

t  is  united 

Stroud  to 

•ious  direc- 
er  a  course 
Lches  from 
•rd  canal  at 
lie  south  of 
Bath  ;  an- 
third  from 
ler  smaller 

he  earliest 
irely  found 
need  it  into 
before  the 
diffused  it 
upon  their 
s  source  of 
•oduct  was 


'w  inconsiderable,  that  the  mines  were  farmed  to  Jews 
for  100  marks;  but  in  that  of  Henry  HI.  they  began  again 
to  yield  a  large  profit,  which  has  since  gradually  increased 
to  a  great  amo\mt. 

Wool  had  been  regarded  as  a  grand  staple  of  ICngland, 
as  early  as  the  twelfth  century,  but  was  chiefly  exported 
in  a  crude  state,  till  Edward  IH.  encouraged  settlements 
of  Flemish  manufacturers.  Wool  soon  became  the  stand- 
ard of  private  property,  and  the  prime  article  of  com- 
merce. Taxes  and  foreign  subsidies  were  estimated  by 
sacks  of  this  commodity.  Great  quantities  of  raw  wool 
continued  to  be  exported  to  the  Netherlands  and  Hanse 
Towns ;  but  in  the  reign  of  Elizabeth  it  began  to  be  chiefly 
manufactured  at  home,  and  the  exportation  of  woollen 
cloths  was  then  valued  at  a  million  and  a  half  annually 
The  exportation  of  raw  wool  was  at  length  prohibited; 
and  the  woollen  manufactures  preserve  great  importance, 
though  they  no  longer  attract  such  particular  regard, 
amidst  the  exuberance  of  English  manufactures. 

In  recent  times  the  manufactures  of  iron  and  copper, 
native  minerals,  have  become  great  sources  of  national 
wealth ;  nor  must  the  new  and  extensive  exportation  of 
elegant  earthen-ware  be  forgotten.  The  cotton  itianu- 
liicture  is  diffused  far  and  wide,  forming  a  grand  source 
of  industry  and  prosperity.  That  of  linen,  except  of 
sail-cloth,  IS  not  much  cultivated  in  England.  The  ma- 
nufactures of  glass  and  fine  steel,  clocks,  watches,  he. 
are  deservedly  eminent  and  extensive.  As  the  nation  is 
mdebted  to  Wedgewood  for  converting  clay  into  gold,  so 
to  Boydell  for  another  elegant  branch  of  exportation,  that 
of  beautiful  prints. 

The  English  manufactures  have  been  recently  estimated 
at  the  annual  value  of  63,600,000/.  and  supposed  to  em- 
ploy 1,585,000  persons.  Of  these,  the  woollen  manufac- 
ture IS  supposed  to  yield  in  round  sums,  15,000,000/.  the 
leather  10,000,000/.  the  iron,  tin,  and  lead  10,000,000/. 
the  cotton  9,000,000/.  The  other  chief  manufactures, 
which  yield  from  1  to  4,000,000/.  may  be  thus  arranged, 
according  to  their  consequence;  steel,  plating;  &c.  copper, 
and  brass,  silk,  potteries,  linen  and  flax,  hemp,  glasul 
papei". 

Vol.  r.  E 


)0 


ENGLAND. 


The  commerce  of  England  is,  at  the  present  period* 
enormous,  and  may  be  said  to  extend  to  every  region  of 
the  globe.  The  trade  with  the  West  Indies  is  one  of  the 
most  important,  and  that  with  the  East  Indies  alone, 
would  have  astonished  any  of  the  celebrated  trading  cities 
of  antiquity. 

From  the  states  of  North  America,  are  chiefly  import- 
ed tobacco,  rice,  indigo,  timber,  hemp,  flax,  iron,  pitch, 
tar,  and  lumber :  From  the  West  Indies,  sugar,  rum,  cot- 
ton, coffee,  ginger,  pepper,  guaiacum,  sarsaparilla,  man- 
cineal,  mahogany,  gums,  &:c.  From  Africa,  gold  dust, 
ivory,  gums.  Sec.  From  the  East  Indies  and  China,  tea, 
rice,  spices,  drugs,  colours,  silk,  cotton,  salt-petre,  shawls, 
and  other  products  of  the  loom.  From  the  British  settle- 
ments in  North  America,  are  imported  furs,  timber,  pot- 
ash, iron ;  and  from  the  various  states  of  Europe,  numer- 
ous articles  of  utility  and  luxury. 

The  annual  income  of  Great  Britain  was  estimated  in 
1799,  by  Mr.  Pitt,  at  102,000,000/.;  and  including  the 
money,  of  which  the  estimate  is  far  from  certain,  the 
whole  capital  of  Great  Britain  may  perhaps  be  calculated 
at  more  than  one  thousand  two  hundred  millions. 

In  the  year  1797,  the  amount  of  the  exports,  according 
to  Custom-house  accounts,  was  28,917,000/.,  and  of  the 
imports,  2 1 ,0 1 3,000/.,  yielding,  as  is  supposed,  clear  profits 
on  foreign  trade,  to  the  amount  of  at  least  10,000,000/. 
The  number  of  merchant  vessels  amounts  probably  to 
16,000;  it  is  calculated  that  140,000  men  and  boys  are 
employed  in  the  navigation. 

CuMATE  AND   SEASONS.  The  climate   of  Great 

Britain  is  very  variable,  the  vapours  of  the  Atlantic 
Ocean  being  opposed  to  the  drying  winds  from  the  eastern 
continent.  The  western  coasts  in  particular  are  subject 
to  frequent  rains ;  and  the  eastern  part  of  Scotland  is  of 
a  clearer  and  dryer  temperature  than  that  of  England. 

In  consequence  of  the  mutability  of  the  climate,  the 
seasons  themselves  are  of  uncertain  tenour,  and  the  year 
might  properly  be  divided  into  eight  months  of  winter,  and 
four  of  summer.  What  is  called  the  spring  dawns  in 
April ;  but  the  eastern  winds  prevalent  in  May,  seem 
commissioned  to  ruin  the  eflbrts  of  revivino*  nature^  and 
des<:roy  the  promise  of  the  year.    June;  July,  August,  and 


I 


ENGLAND. 


41 


IS. 

,  according 
and  of  the 
;lear  profits 
0,000,000/. 
)robably  to 
id  boys  are 

of  Great 
le  Atlantic 
the  eastern 
are  subject 
otland  is  of 
ngland. 
limate,  the 
id  the  year 
winter,  and 
J  daM'ns  in 
Slay,  seem 
nature,  and 
LUgust,  and 


September,  are  usually  warm  summer  months  ;  but  a 
night  of  frost  is  not  unknown,  even  in  August,  and  some- 
times a  cold  east  wind  will  blow  for  three  days  together ; 
nor  of  late  years  are  summers  unknown  of  almost  con- 
stant rain.  The  winter  may  be  said  to  commence  with  { 
the  beginning  of  October,  at  which  time  domestic  fires 
become  necessary ;  but  there  is  seldom  any  severe  frost 
till  Christmas,  and  January  is  the  most  stern  moith  of 
the  vear.  Yet  as  the  summers  often  produce  speciniens 
of  wmter,  so  now  and  then  gleams  of  warm  sunshine  illu- 
minate the  darker  months.  March  is  generally  the  most 
unsettled  month  of  the  year,  interspersed  with  dry  frost, 
cold  rains,  and  strong  winds,  with  storms  of  hail  and 
sleet. 

Soil  and  Agriculture.  The  soil  is  greatly 
diversified,  but  in  general  fertile ;  and  in  no  country  is 
agriculture  more  thoroughly  understood,  or  pursued  in  a  ; 

frander  style,  except,  perhaps  in  Flanders  and  Lombardy,  i 
mean  before  these  countries  were  visited  with  the  scourge  ' 
of  French  fraternity.  The  nobility  and  gentry,  mostly  re- 
siding upon  their  estates  in  summer,  often  retain  consider- 
able farms  in  their  own  hands,  and  practise  and  encourage 
every  agricultural  improvement. 
'^  The  cultivated  acres  of  England  and  Wales  are  com- 
(  puted  at  upwards  of  39,000,000  ;  the  uncultivated  about 
8,000,000.  Of  the  latter  about  half  a  million  is  supposed 
to  be  uniraproveable.— .Gardening  is  also  pursued  in  Eng- 
land with  great  assiduity  and  success.  From  the  high 
prices  given  in  the  capital  for  early  produce,  each  acre 
thus  employed,  in ,  its  vicinity,  is  supposed  to  yield  about 
120/.  annually.  England  is  deservedly  considered  as  the 
standard  of  ornamental  gardening,  just  to  the  beauties  of 
nature,  and  free  from  the  uncouth  affectations  of  art. 

Rivers.  England  is  intersected  by  four  important 
rivers,  the  Severn,  the  Thames,  the  Humber,  and  the 
Mersey  ;  besides  a  considerable  number  of  minor  streams. 
None  of  the  largest  extend  much  above  150  miles  into  the 
country. — In  general  it  may  be  observed  of  the  British 
rivers,  that  the  length  of  their  course  is  inconsiderable, 
when  compared  with  that  of  the  Continental  streams. 
The  length  of  the  Thames  compared  with  that  of  the  Da- 
nube, is  only  as  1  to  7,  and  with  that  of  the  Nile,  as  1  to 's  i 


!( 


53 


ENGLAND. 


The  Kian  Ku  of  China,  and  the  river  of  Amazons,  in 
South  America,  extend  through  a  progress  of  more  than 
fifteen  times  the  length  of  that  of  the  Thames.  The  rivers 
«f  the  southern  and  middle  parts  of  England,  present  a 
striking  contrast  to  those  of  the  north  ;  the  former  pur- 
suing a  slow  and  inert  course  over  mud,  between  level 
banks,  amid  rich  and  extensive  meadows  ;  while  the  lattci" 
roll  their  clear  torrents  over  heds  of  gravel,  between  ele- 
vated banks,  and  rocky  precipices  ;  and  even  trhen  ver- 
dant levels  occur,  the  stream  still  retains  its  banks  and 
beds  of  gravel. 

Mountains.  While  Bennevis,  the  highest  moun- 
tain in  Scotland,  is  not  much  above  one  quarte-  of  the 
hf^ight  of  Mont  Blanc,  the  sovereign  of  the  Alps,  the 
English  and  Welsh  summits  aspire  to  heights  still  less 
considerable  ;  Snowdon  being  only  3568  English  feet  above 
the  sea,  while  Bennevis  is  4387,  or,  by  other  accounts, 
4350.  Wharn,  or  Wharnside,  in  Yorkshire,  was  estimat- 
ed at  4050.  Ingleborough  at  5280  feet.  A  late  accurate 
measurement  has,  however  reduced  this  latter  to  2380 
feet,  and  probably  Wharnside  ought  also  to  be  diminished 
in  the  same  proportion. 

In  the  northern  and  western  mountains  and  hills,  chalk 
is  unknown,  while  it  forms  a  chief  material  of  those  in  the 
south  and  east.  The  northern  are  mostly  composed  of 
limestone,  free-stone,  and  slate,  with  mines  ol  lead  or  coal. 
Those  'of  Derbyshire  present  vast  masses  of  lime-stoqe. 
Those  on  the  west,  or  Mendip  hills,  in  Somersetshire,  are 
wholly  calcareous.  The  Granite  begins  at  Dartmoor,  in 
Devonshire,  and  runs  through  Cornwall,  where  it  presents 
a  variety  of  colours — The  mountains  in  Wales  abound 
in  slate,  horn-stone,  and  porphyry,  with  large  masses  of 
quartz. 

Metals  and  Minerals.  Among  the  British 
minerals  are  the  tin  mines  of  Cornwall  already  men- 
tioned. They  are  said  to  employ  100,000  persons.  Gold 
has  been  discovered  in  various  parts  of  England,  but  the 
metal  has  never  re-paid  the  labour  and  expence .  The  mines 
of  rock  salt  must  not  be  omitted  :  those  of  NoI^vich  are 
the  most  remarkable,  the  annual  produce  of  which  has 
been  estimated  at  65,000  tons.  But  the  most  vdhiable 
mines  of  England  are  those  of  coal,  found  in  the  central, 


ENGLAND. 


SS 


northern,  and  western  parts,  but  particularly  in  the  north- 
ern, around  New-Castle  :  600,000  chaldrons  are  sent  annu- 
ally to  Loudon,  and  1500  vessels  are  employed  in  carrying 
them  to  that  harbour  along  the  eastern  coast  of  England. 
—Cornwall  also  produces  copper,  so  does  Yorkshire  and 
Staffordshire,  but  this  metal  is  found  in  the  greatest  abun- 
dance in  the  north-western  parts  of  Angl«sea.  Lead  is 
found  in  Derbyshire,  Somersetshire,  and  on  the  verge  of 
Cumberland.  The  mines  at  the  latter  place  alone  employ 
about  1100  men. 

Vegetable  and  Animal  Productions.  Al- 
though among  the  numerous  species  of  vegetables  wh.ch 
are  the  natives  of  Britain,  there  are  scarcely  any  that  are 
adequate  to  the  sustenance  and  clothing  of  man  ;  yet  the 
quantities  of  wheat,  barley,  rye,  peas,  beans,  vetches,  and 
oats  produced  are  so  great,  that  in  some  years  large  quan- 
tities are  exported.  In  nothing,  however,  have  the  Eng- 
lish been  so  successful  in  cultivating,  and  meliorating,  as 
the  various  grasses.  Their  climate  is  peculiarly  adapted 
to  grasses  of  every  kind.  They  reckon  no  fewer  than  27 
genera,  and  1 10  species  of  grass,  that  are  natives  of  the 
island.  They  have  a  plenty  of  excellent  fruits :  apples, 
peare,  plumbs,  cherries,  peaches,  apricots,  nqptarines,  cur- 
rants, gooseberries,  rjisberries,  and  other  hortulan  produc- 
tions grow  here.  The  cyder  of  Devon  and  Herefordshire 
has  been  preferred  to  French  wine.  Their  kitchen  gar- 
dens abound  with  all  sorts  of  greens,  roots,  and  salads  in 
perfection. — 

Mr.  Pennant,  in  his  British  Zoology,  has  treated  that 
subject  at  due  extent,  and  with  his  usual  ability.  Of  ani- 
mals, that  celebrated  author  enumerates  twenty  genera, 
from  the  horse  down  to  the  seal  and  bat.  The  birds  extend 
to  forty-eii^ht,  the  reptiles  to  four,  and  the  fish  to  forty 
genera,  besides  the  crustaceous  and  shell  fish. 

That  noble  and  useful  animal,  the  horse,  is  found  in 
England  of  many  mingled  breeds,  while  most  other  king- 
doms produce  only  one  kind.  Their  race-horses  descend 
from  Arabian  stallions,  and  the  genealogy  faintly  extends 
to  their  hunters,  The  great  strength  and  size  of  the  Eng- 
lish draught-horses  are  derivttl  from  those  of  Germany, 

;  "^ ;  "  ""•-*  iiu!=i=iri  -,  uwu  umcr  urecas  nave  Dccii  so 

mtermingled,  that  native  horses  may  be  found  adapted  to 

E2 


S4 


ENGLAND. 


erery  purpose  of  pomp,  pleasure,  or  utility.  Those  of 
Yorkshire  are  particularly  celebrated  for  their  spirit  and 
beauty  ;  and  the  grooms  of  that  country  are  equally  noted 
for  tlicir  skill  in  the  mana'>;ement  of  this  valuable  animal. 

The  indij^enous  horned  cattle  are  now  only  known  to 
exist  in  Neidwood-forest,  in  Staffordshire,  and  at  Chilling- 
ham-castle,  in  Northumberland.  They  are  long-legged 
and  wild  like  deer,  of  a  pure  white  colour,  with  black 
muzzles,  ears,  and  tails,  and  a  stripe  of  the  same  hue  along 
the  back.  The  domesticated  breeds  of  their  cattle  are 
alnwst  as  various  as  those  of  their  horses ;  those  of  Wales 
and  Cornwall  are  small,  while  the  Lincolnshire  kind  de- 
rive their  great  size  from  those  of  Holstein.  In  the 
North  of  England  we  find  kylies,  so  called  from  the  dis- 
trict of  Kyle,  in  Scotland  ;  in  the  South  we  find  the  ele- 
gant breed  of  Guernsey,  generally  of  a  light  brown  colour, 
^nd  small  size,  but  remarkable  for  the  richness  of  theiv 
tnilk. 

The  number  and  value  of  sheep  in  England  may  be 
judged  from  the  ancient  staple  commodity  of  wool.  Of 
this  most  useful  animal  several  breeds  appear,  generally 
denominated  from  their  particular  counties  or  districts  : 
those  of  Herefordshire,  Devonshire,  and  Cotswold-downs, 
are  noted  for  fine  fleeces,  while  the  Lincolnshire  and  War- 
wickshire kind  are  remarkable  for  the  quantity.  The 
Teesdale  breed  of  the  county  of  Durham,  though  lately 
neglected,  continue  to  deserve  their  fame.  The  wool  is 
beautiful,  but  the  length  of  their  legs  lessens  their  value 
in  the  eyes  of  the  butcher.  The  mutton  of  Wales,  on  the 
contrary,  is  esteemed,  while  the  wool  is  coarse,  yet  em- 
ployed in  many  useful  and  salutary  manufactures. 

The  goat,  an  inhabitant  of  the  rocks,  has,  even  in  Wales, 
for  the  most  part  yielded  to  the  more  useful  sheep  ;  that 
country  being,  like  Scotland,  more  adapted  to  the  woollen 
manufacture.     The  breeds  of  swine  are  various  and  useful. 

England  also  abounds  in  breeds  of  dogs,  some  of  which 
were  celebrated  even  in  Roman  times  ;  nor  have  their  mo- 
dern descendants,  the  mastiff  and  bull-dog,  degenerated 
from  the  spirit  and  courage  of  their  ancestors. 

Of  their  savage  animals  the  most  fierce  and  destructive 
:„  .u„  ,.,x\A  ^n.*  wi->;/^K  ;c  1-hi'pp  nr  fniir  times  as  larce  as  the 
domestic,  with  a  fiat  broad  Hice,  colour  yellowish  white, 


ENGLAND. 


M$ 


mixed  with  deep  grey,  in  streaks  running  from  a  black 
list  on  the  back ;  hips  always  black,  tail  alternate  bars  of 
black  and  white  ;  only  found  in  the  most  mountainous  and 
woody  parts.  The  wolf  has  been  long  extinct,  but  thq 
fox  abounds. 

The  chief  of  their  birds  of  prey  are,  the  golden  eagle, 
sometimes  found  on  Silowdon :  the  black  eagle  has  appear- 
ed in  Derbyshire ;  the  osprey,  or  sea  eagle,  seems  extinct 
in  England.  The  peregrine  falcon  breeds  in  Wales  ;  and 
many  kinds  of  hawks  in  England.  An  enumeration  of  the 
other  birds  would  be  superfluous.  The  nightingale,  one 
of  the  most  celebrated,  is  not  found  in  North  Wales,  nor 
any  where  to  the  North,  except  about  Doncaster,  where 
it  abounds ;  nor  does  it  travel  so  far  west  as  Devonshire 
and  Cornwall.  Their  poultry  seem  to  originate  from 
Asia ;  peacocks  from  India,  pheasants  from  Colchis ; 
the  guinea-fowl  are  from  Africa.  Their  smallest  bird  is 
the  golden-crested  wren,  which  sports  on  the  highest 
pine-trees;  and  largest  the  bustard,  some  of  which  weigh 
twenty-five  pounds,  and  are  found  in  tlie  open  countries  of 
the  south  and  east. 

The  reptiles  are  frogs,  toads,  sereral  kinds  of  lizards : 
of  their  serpents  the  vii)er  alone  is  venomous  ;  othef  kinds 
are  the  snake,  sometimes  found  four  feet  in  length  ;  and 
the  blind  worm,  seldom  exceeding  eleven  inches. 

Of  fish,  the  whale  but  seldom  appears  near  the  English 
coasts,  the  porpess,  and  others  of  the  same  genus  are  not 
uncommon.  The  basking  shark  appears  off  the  shores 
of  W^ales.  Numerous  are  the  edible  sea-fish.  Some  of 
the  most  celebrated  are  the  turbot,  dorce,  soal,  cod,  plaice, 
smelt,  and  mullet.  The  consumption  of  herrings  and 
mackerel  extends  to  most  parts  of  the  kingdom  :  but  pil- 
chards are  corfined  to  the  Cornish  coasts.  The  chief 
river  fish  are  the  salmon  and  the  trout,  which  are  brought 
from  the  northern  parts  in  prodigious  mimbers,  generally 
packed  in  ice.  It  is  said  that  not  less  than  30,000  salmon 
are  brought  from  one  river,  the  Tweed,  to  London,  in  the 
course  of  a  season.  The  lamprey  is  chiefly  found  in  the 
Severn,  the  chan-  in  -the  lakes  of  Westmoreland.  The 
lobster  is  found  on  most  of  the  rocky  coasts,  particularly 
off  Scarborough  ;  and  the  English  oysters  preserve  their 
Roman  reputation. 


56 


ENGLAND. 


English  Isles.  In  the  southern  or  English  chan- 
nel first  appears  the  Isle  of  Wight,  by  the  Komuns  called 
Vectia ;  about  20  miles  in  length  and  12  in  breadth.  'I'he 
principal  town  is  Newport — and  one  of  the  most  remarka- 
ble buildings  is  Carisljrook-castle,  where  Charles  I.  was 
imprisoned  by  his  rebellious  subjects. 

At  the  distance  of  about  70  miles  from  Wight  arises 
the  little  island  of  Alderney,  off  Cape  la  Hogue  ;  which  is 
followed  by  the  more  important  islands  of  Guernsey  and 
Jersey,  Sark  being  a  small  island  interposed  between  the 
two  latter.  Guernsey,  the  largest  of  these  isles,  is  about 
36  miles  in  circuit. 

Returning  to  the  English  shore,  we  first  descry  Eddis- 
tone  light  house,  beat  by  all  the  fury  of  the  western  waves. 
This  edifice  has  repeatedly  been  overthrown,  but  tlie  pre- 
sent erection  by  Air.  Smeaton,  composed  of  vast  masses 
of  stone,  grooved  into  the  rock,  and  joined  with  iron,  pro 
mises  alike  to  defy  accidental  hre,  and  the  violence  of  the 
ocean,  though  the  waves  sometimes  wash  over  the  very 
summit  in  one  sheet  of  foam. 

About  30  miles  west  of  the  land's  end  appears  a  cluster 
of  small  islands,  145  in  number,  called  the  islands  of  Scilly. 
The  largest  (St.  Mary's)  is  about  five  miles  in  circuit,  and 
has  about  600  inhabitants. — On  the  coast  of  Wales  i^  the 
island  of  Anglesea,  being  the  Muia  of  Tacitus ;  about  25 
miles  in  length  and  18  in  breadth  ;  is  fertile  and  populous, 
and  enjoys  a  considerable  trade  with  Ireland. 

'i'he  last  i  nglish  island  worth  mentioning  is  that  of  Man, 
«— it  is  about  30  miles  in  length,  and  15  in  breadth.  U  he 
sovereignty  formerly  belonged  to  tiie  Earls  of  Derby,  but 
is  now  annexed  to  the  English  crown. 


i 


ish  chan- 
ns  called 
h.  The 
•emarka- 
s  I.  was 


ht  arises 
which  is 
isejr  and 
b'een  the 
is  about 

y  Eddis- 
•n  waves, 
tlie  pre- 
t  masses 
ron,  pro 
:e  ol  the 
the  very 

a  cluster 
af  Scilly. 
cuit,  and 
es  i$  the 
about  25 
lopulous, 

of  Man, 
h.  Ihe 
rby,  but 


SCOTLAND. 


SCOTLAND  was  first  discovered  to  the  Romans  by 
Agricola,  and  was  distinguished  from  South-Britain  by 
the  special  appellation  of  Caledonia. 

This  name  continued  to  be  used  till  the  Roman  power 
expired.  Bede,  the  father  of  English  history,  calls  the 
inhabitants  of  the  country  by  the  name  of  Picti,  which 
had  also  been  used  by  the  later  Roman  writers  as  synony- 
mous with  that  of  Caledonii. 

These  distinctions  continued  till  the  eleventh  century, 
when  the  new  name  of  Scotia  was  taken  from  Ireland,  its 
former  object,  and  applied  to  modern  Scotland. 

Extent.  That  part  of  Great  Britain  called  Scot- 
land, is  about  260  miles  in  length,  by  about  160  at  its 
greatest. breadth  ;  it  ext-inds  from  the  55th  degree  of  la» 
titude,  to  more  than  584.  The  superficial  contents  have 
been  computed  at  27,793  square  miles,  a  little  exceeding 
that  of  Ireland,  and  considerably  more  than  half  that  of 
England.  The  population  being  estimated  at  1,600,000, 
there  will,  of  course,  be  only  57  inhabitants  for  every 
square  mile,  a  proportion  of  about  one-third  of  that  of 
Ireland.  This  defect  of  population  arises  solely  from  the 
mountainous  nature  of  the  country,  amounting,  perhaps, 
to  one-half,  little  susceptible  of  cultivation. 

Divisions.  The  territory  of  Scotland  is  unequal- 
ly divided  into  thirty-three  counties :  six  of  which  may  be 
called  the  Northern  ;  fourteen,  the  Midland  j  and  thirteen, 
the  Southern  division. 


58 


SCOTLAND. 


Original  Population.  So  far  as  historical  re- 
searches can  discover,  the  original  population  of  Scot- 
land, consisted  of  Cimbri,  from  the  Cimbric  Chersonese. 
About  two  centuries  before  the  Christian  aera,  the  Cimbri 
seem  to  have  been  driven  to  the  south  of  Scotland  by  the 
Caledonians,  or  Picti,  a  Gothic  colony  from  Norway. 

On  the  west,  the  Cumraig  kingdom  of  Strath  Clyde 
continued  till  the  tenth  century,  when  it  became  subject 
to  the  kings  of  North-Britain  ;  who,  at  the  time,  extend- 
ed their  authority,  by  the  permission  of  the  English 
monarchs,  over  the  counties  of  Cumoerland  and  West- 
moreland. From  the  Picti  originates  the  population  of 
the  Lowlands  of  Scotland,  the  Lowlanders  liaving  been, 
in  all  ages,  a  distinct  people  from  those  of  the  western 
Highlands,  though  the  Irish  clergy  endeavoured  to  render 
their  language,  which  was  the  most  smooth  and  cultivat- 
ed of  the  two,  the  polite  dialect  of  the  court  and  supe- 
rior classes.  About  the  year  of  Christ  258,  the  Dalraids 
of  Bede,  the  Attacotti  of  the  Roman  writers,  passed  from 
Jrelftnd  to  Argyleshire,  and  became  the  germ  of  the 
Scottish  Highlanders,  who  speak  the  Irish,  or  Celtic  lan- 
guage, while  the  Lowlanders  iiftve  always  used  the  Scan- 
dinavian, or  Gothic. 

Historical  Epochs.  1.  The  original  population 
of  Scotland  by  the  Cimbri,  and  by  the  Picti,  forms  the 
first  historical  epoch. 

2.  The  entrance  of  Agricola  into  Scotland,  and  the 
subsequent  conflicts  with  the  Romans,  till  the  latter  aban- 
doned Britain. 

3.  The  settlement  of  the  Dalraius,  or  Attacotti,  in 
Argyleshire,  about  the  year  238,  and  their  repulsion  to 
Ireland  about  the  middle  of  the  fifth  century. 

4.  1  he  Commencement  of  what  may  be  called  a  regu- 
lar history  of  Scotland,  from  the  reign  of  Drust,  A.  D. 
414. 

5.  The  return  of  the  Dalraids,  A.  D.  503.  and  the 
subsequent  events  of  Dalraidic  story. 

6.  The  introduction  of  Christianity  among  the  C?iledo- 
nians,  in  the  reign  of  Brudi  II.  A.  D.  565. 

The  union  of  th«  Picti  and  Attacotti,  under  Kenneth, 


7. 


SCOTLAND. 


S$ 


storical  re- 
n  of  Scot- 
Ihersonese. 
the  Cimbri 
md  by  the 
•way. 

fath  Clyde 
Tie  subject 
le,  extend- 
le  English 
ind  West- 
5ulation  of 
ving  been, 
le  western 
1  to  render 
id  cultivat- 

and  supe- 
e  Dalraids 
isaed  from 
*m  of  the 
Celtic  lan- 

the  Scan- 
population 
forms  the 

i,  and  the 
ttter  aban- 

ttacotti,  in 
pulsion  to 

led  a  regu- 
ust,  A.  D. 

.   and  the 

lie  Cjiledo- 

r  Kenneth, 


W 


8.  The  reign  of  Malcolm  III.  A.  D.  1056  :  from  which 
period  greater  civilization  began  to  take  place,  and  the 
history  becomes  more  authentic. 

9.  The  extinction  of  the  ancient  line  of  kings,  in  the 
person  of  Margaret,  of  Norway,  grand-daughter  of 
Alexander  III.  A.  D.  1290.  This  event  occasioned  the 
interposition  of  Edward  I.  king  of  England,  which  was 
the  source  of  the  enmity  which  afterwards  unhappily  pre- 
vailed between  the  kingdoms. 

10.  The  accession  of  the  house  of  Stuart  to  the  Scot- 
tish throne. 

11.  The  establishment  of  the  Protestant  religion,  A, 
D.  1560. 

12.  The  union  of  the  two  crowns,  by  the  accession  of 
James  VI.  to  the  English  sceptre,  A.  D.  1603. 

13.  The  civil  wars,  and  the  subsequent  disputes  be- 
tween the  Presbyterians  and  Independants ;  causes  that 
extinguished  all  sound  literature  in  Scotland,  for  the  space 
of  twenty  years,  A.  D.  1640-1660. 

14.  The  revolution 'of  1688,  and  the  firm  establish- 
ment of  the  Presbyterian  system. 

15.  The  union  of  the  two  kingdoms  in  1707,  which 
laid  the  first  foundation  of  the  subsequent  prosperity  in 
Scotland. 

Antiquities.  There  are  no  monuments  of  an- 
tiquity, worth  mentioning,  of  an  earlier  daie  than  the  ar- 
rival of  the  Romans,  The  remains  of  these  conquerors 
appear  in  the  celebrated  wall,  built  in  the  reign  of  Anto- 
ninus Pius,  between  the  Firths  of  Forth  and  Clyde,  in  the 
ruins  of  which  many  curious  inscriptions  have  been 
found.  Another  striking  object,  is  a  small  edifice,  called 
Arthur's  Oven,  suppoye'd  to  be  a  temple  of  the  god  Ter- 
minus. The  most  northerly  Roman  camp  yet  discovered 
is  in  Aberdeenshire,  the  periphery  of  which  is  about  two 
English  miles.  Roman  roads  have  been  traced  a  con- 
siderable way,  in  the  east  of  Scotland.  The  smaller  re- 
mains of  Roman  antiquities,  such  as  coins,  utensils,  Ecc. 
are  numerous.  The  places  of  judgment,  or  what  are 
called  Druidic  temples,  are  to  be  traced  in  many  places. 
^'  '      round  piles  of  stone,  constructed   without 


Those    rude 


any  cement,  called  Pika  Houses,  deserve  to  be  iioticed. 
They  seem  to  have  consisted  of  a  vast  hall,  open  to  the 


60 


SCOTLAND. 


sky  in  the  centre,  while  the  cavities  in  the  wall^jresent  in. 
commodious  recesses  for  beds,  &c.  These  buildings  are 
remarkable,  as  displaying  the  first  elements  of  the  Gothic 
castle. 

Religion.  Since  the  revolution,  1688,  the  Ec- 

clesiastical government  of  Scotland  is  of  the  Presbyterian 
form.  The  number  of  parishes  in  Scotland  is  941; 
contiguous  parishes  unite  in  what  is  called  a  Presbytery, 
of  which  denomination  there  are  69.  The  provincial  sy- 
nods amounting  to  fifteen,  are  compos'-i  of  several  ad- 
jacent Presbyteries;  but  the  granrl  Ecclesiastical  court 
is  the  general  assembly,  which  ;ueets  every  year,  in  the 
spring  ;  the  king  appointing  a  commissioner  to  represent 
his  person,  while  the  members  nominate  their  modera- 
tor, or  president. 

To  this  Ecclesiastical  council  laymen  are  also  admitted, 
under  the  name  of  Ruling  Elders,  and  constitute  about 
one-third  of  this  venerable  body.  This  court  discusses 
and  judges  all  clerical  affairs,  and  admits  of  no  appeal, 
except  to  the  parliament  of  Great  Britain. 

As  whatever  establishment  is  effected  in  a  free  coun- 
try,  opposition  will  always  arise,  the  establishment  of 
the  Presbyterian  system,  was,  in  the  space  of  one  gene- 
ration, followed  by  the  secession,  which  took  place  in 
1732.  The  seceders  being  the  most  rigid  in  their  senti- 
ments,  and  animated  by  persecution,  soon  formed  a  nu- 
merous party. 

About  the  year  1747,  they  were  themselves  divided  into 
two  denominations,  called  the  Burghers,  and  the  Anti- 
burghers,  because  the  division  arose  concerning  the  le- 
gality of  the  oaths  taken  by  the  burgesses  of  some  of  the 
royal  boroughs;  the  former  allowing  that  the  oath  is 
proper,  while  the  latter  object ;  the  former  are  the  more 
numerous,  the  number  of  their  ministers  being  comput- 
ed at  about  100,  and  at  a  medium  each  has  a  congrega- 
tion of  about  1000. 

Many  respectable  families  in  Scotland  embrace  the 
Episcopal  form  of  the  Church  of  England.  The  other 
descriptions  of  religious  professions  are  not  numerous. 
There  are  but  few  Roman  Catholics,  even  in  the  remote 
xiigiiianus,  the  scheme  of  education  being  excellent,  and 
generally  supported  with  liberality. 


'4 


SCOTLAND. 


61 


li)resent  in- 
uildings  are 
'  the  Gothic 

88,  the  Ec- 
'resbyterian 
ind  is  941 ; 
Presbytery, 
rbvincial  sy- 
several  ad- 
stical  court 
year,  in  the 

0  represent 
iir  modera- 

io  admitted, 

titute  about 

't  discusses 

no  appeal, 

1  free  coun- 
lishment  of 
"  one  gene- 
)k  place  in 
their  senti- 
rmed  a  nu- 

iivided  into 
I  the  Anti- 
ing  the  le- 
iome  of  the 
:he  oath  is 
i  the  more 
g  comput- 
congrega- 

nbrace  the 
The  other 
numerous, 
the  remote 
;eilent,  and 


GovERNidENT.  The    government   of   Scotland, 

since  the  union,  has  been  bKnded  with  that  of  England. 
The  most  splendid  remaining  feature  of  government  in 
Scotland,  is  the  general  assembly,  already  mentioned. 
Next  to  which  may  be  classed  the  high  courts  of  jus- 
tice, especially  that  styled  the  session,  consisting  of  a 
president,  and  fourteen  senators.  The  lords  of  session, 
as  they  are  styled  in  Scotland,  upon  their  promotion  to 
office,  assume  a  title,  generally  from  the  name  of  an 
estate,  by  which  they  are  known  and  addressed,  as  if 
peers  by  creation,  while  they  are  only  constituted  lords  by 
superior  interest,  or  talents.  This  court  is  the  last  resort 
in  several  causes,  and  the  only  appeal  is  to  the  parliament 
of  Great  Britain. 

The  justiciary  court  consists  of  five  judges,  who  are  like- 
wise lords  of  session ;  but,  with  a  president,  styled  lord 
justice  clerk.  This  is  the  supreme  court  in  criminal 
causes,  which  are  determii^ed  by  the  majority  of  a  jury, 
and  not  by  the  unanimity,  as  in  England.  There  is  also 
a  court  of  exchequer,  consisting  of  a  Lord  Chief  Baron, 
and  four  Barons ;  and  a  high  court  of  admiralty,  in  which 
there  is  only  one  judge. 

Laws.  The  law  of  Scotland   diifers  essentially 

from  that  of  England,  being  founded,  in  a  great  measure, 
upon  the  civil  law.  Of  common  law,  there  is  hardly  a 
trace,  while  the  civil  and  canon  laws  may  be  said  to  form 
the  two  pillars  of  Scottish  judicature.  The  modes  of  pro- 
cedure  have,  ho»vever,  the  advantage  of  being  free  from 
many  of  those  legal  fictions  which  disgrace  the  laws  of 
some  other  countries.  The  inferior  courts  are  those  of 
the  sheriffs,  magistrates,  and  justices  of  the  peace 

Population.  The    population   of  Scotland,    in 

1755,  was  computed  at  1,265,000  ;  according  to  the  docu- 
ments furnished  by  Sir  J.  Sinclair's  statistical  account,  thl 
numbers  m  1798,  were,  1,526,492;  and  by  the  govern- 
ment enumeration  in  1801,  the  inhabitants  appeared  to 
amount  to  1,599,068.  ^^ 

Manners  and  Customs.  The  manners  and  cus- 
toms of^the  Scots  begin  to  be  much  assimilated  with  those 
L^:t.^"5i"'Li?.i^^^^./^^'S>'^"«  ceremonies,  attending 


B       banti$im    f\nA    n-iat^niofvoo    «^k„ 

^_  ,. ..Mj^vo,    vncxc   UXC    V 


^'aritttions  arising  frorn 


the  Presbyteriam  form,  which   does  not  admit  of  god 


n:?. 


63 


SCOTLAND. 


fathers  or  god-mothers,  but  renders  the  parents  alone  an- 
swerable for  the  education  of  the  child.  The  clergyman 
does  not  attend  at  funerals,  nor  is  there  any  religious  ser* 
vice,  but  generally  great  decency. 

In  the  luxuries  of  the  table,  the  superior  classes  rival  the 
English;  several  national  dishes,  originating  from  the 
French  cooking,  in  the  reign  of  Mary,  being  now  vulgar 
or  neglected.  The  diet  of  the  lower  classes  passes  in  a 
gradual  transition  from  the  north  of  England.  The  chief 
food  is  fiarich^  or  thick  pottage,  formed  with  oat-meal  and 
water,  and  eaten  with  milk,  ale  or  butter;  in  a  hard 
lumpy  form  it  is  called  brose.  With  this  the  labourer  is 
generally  contented  twice  or  thrice  in  a  day,  with  a  little 
bit  of  meat  for  Sunday ;  nor  does  he  repine  at  the  bacon 
of  the  English  poor,  there  being  a  theological  antipathy 
to  swine,  which  also  extends  to  eels,  on  account  of  their 
serpent  j?ke  form. 

The  sobriety  of  the  lower  classes  is  in  general  exempla- 
ry ;  the  Scottish  manufacturer  or  labourer  is  ambitious  to 
appear  with  his  family  in  decent  clothes  on  Sundays,  and 
other  holidays.  This  may  be  regarded  as  a  striking  cha- 
racteristic of  the  Scottish  peasantry,  who  prefer  the  last- 
ing decencies  of  life  to  momentary  gratifications.  To 
this  praise  may  be  added  the  diffusion  of  education,  which 
is  such,  that  even  the  miners  in  the  south  possess  a  circu- 
lating library. 

The  houses  of  the  opulent  have  been  long  erected  upon 
the  English  plan,  which  can  hardly  be  exceeded  for  interior 
elegance  and  convenience.  Even  the  habitations  of  the 
poor  have  been  greatly  improved  within  these  few  years ; 
instead  of  the  thatched  mud  hovel,  there  often  appears  the 
neat  cottage  of  stone,  covered  with  tile  or  slate. 

The  dresses  of  the  superior  classes  is  the  same  with 
that  of  the  English.  The  gentlemen  in  the  Highlands, 
especially  in  the  time  of  war,  use  the  peculiar  dress  of  that 
country.  Among  the  other  classes,  the  Scottish  bonnet  is 
now  rarely  perceived,  except  in  the  Highlands. 

Language.  The  Scottish  larsguage  falls  under 
two  divisions;  that  of  the  Lowlands,  consisting  of  the 
ancient  Scandinavian  dialect,  blended  with  the  Anglo- 
Saxon  ;  'Ayft.  tiiat  of  the  Highland^,;,  iVuich  is  Irish.    The 


SCOTLAND. 


G3 


Orkney  Islands  being  seized  by  the  Norwegians,  in  the 
ninth  century,  the  inhabitants  retained  the  Norse' lan- 
guage till  recent  times.  They  now  speak  remarkably 
pure  English. 

Schools.  ■  The  mode  of  education  pursued  in  Scot- 
land, is  highly  laudable,  and,  to  judge  from  its  effects,  is 
perhaps,  the  best  practical  system  pursued  in  any  country 
m  Europe.  The  plan  which  is  fellowed  in  the  cities  is 
nearly  similar  to  that  of  England,  either  by  private  teachers, 
or  at  large  public  Schools,  of  which  that  of  Edinburgh  is 
the  most  eminent.  But  the  superior  advantage  of  the 
Scottish  education  consists  in  every  country  parish  pos- 
sessing a  schoolmaster,  as  uniformly  as  a  clergyman ;  at 
least  the  rule  is  general,  and  the  exceptions  rare.  The 
schoolmaster  has  a  small  salary,  or  rather  pittance,  which 
enables  him  to  educate  the  children  at  a  rate  easy  and  con- 
venient, even  to  indigent  parents.  In  the  Highlands  the 
poor  children  will  attend  to  the  fiocks  in  the  summer,  and 
the  school  in  the  winter. 

The  universities  of  Scotland,  or  rather  colleges,  (for  an 
English  university  includes  many  colleges  and  founda- 
tions,) amount  to  no  less  than  four,  three  on  the  ea5t?m 
coast,  St.  Andrew's,  Aberdeen  and  Edinburgh :  and  one  on 
the  western,  that  of  Glasgow. 

Cities  and  Towns.  Edinburgh,  the  capital  is 
comparatively  of  modern  name  and  note,  the  earliest  1  it 
that  can  be  applied  to  it,  occurring  in  the  Chronkon  Pkto. 
rum,  about  the  year  955,  where  mention  is  made  of  a  town 
ca  led  i^den,  as  resigned  by  the  English  to  the  Scots,  then 
ruled  by  Indulf.  Holyrood-house  was  the  foundation  of 
the  first  David. 

The  population  of  Edinburgh  including  the  port  of 
Leith,  was  m   1678,  computed   at   35,500;   in  1755,  at 

InStot2,i"o.''''  ""  '°""'  '^  ^^^"^^  ^— ^^-  ^- 

The  arrivals  and  clearances  at  Leith  harbour,  exceed 

her,"A<  K  ?^  1700  vessels  of  various  descriptions.     Of 

statedlth^lf  "^ir  "^^  '°^?;     ^^^  commerce  has  been 
stated  at  half  a  million  annually. 

The  houses  in  the  old  town  of  Edinb"^-"-!,    o«^  „ 

tiTn'floLT''!''''^  ""^'"'^  "°^  ^"^  t"han  th?;i;e;;rTur: 
teen  floors,  a  smgularity  ascribed  to  the  wish  of  the  an- 


fA 


SCOTLAND. 


cieiU  inhabitants,  of  being  under  the  protection  of  the 
castle. 

The  new.  town  of  Edinburgh  is  deservedly  celebrated 
for  r«gulaiity  and  elegitnce,  the  houses  being  all  of  free- 
stone, and  some  of  them  ornamented  with  pillars  and  pi- 
lasters, and  it  contains  several  public  edifices  which  would 
do  honour  to  any  capital. 

The  second  city  in  Scotland  is  Glasgow,  of  ancient  note 
in  ecclesiastic  story,  but  of  small  account  in  the  annals  of 
commerce,  till  the  time  of  Cromwell's  usurpation.  The 
population  of  Glasgow,  in  1755,  was  computed  at  23,546, 
including  the  suburbs;  the  number  in  1791,  was  esti- 
mated at  61,945  ;  and  the  amount  of  the  enumeration  in 
1801,  was  77,385.  The  ancient  city  was  rather  venerable 
than  beautiful,  but  recent  improvements  have  rendered  it 
one  of  the  neatest  cities  in  the  empire.  Its  commerce  has 
arisen  to  great  extent  since,  the  year  1718,  when  the  first 
ship  that  belonged  to  Glasgow  crossed  the  Atlantic.  The 
number  of  ships  belonging  to  the  Clyde,  in  1790,  was  476, 
the  tonnage  46,581  ;  but  before  the  American  war  it  was 
supposed  to  have  amounted  to  60,000  tons.  Though  the 
manufactures  scarcely  exceed  half  a  century  in  antiquity, 
they  are  now  numerous  and  important.  That  of  cotton  ki 
1791,  was  computed  to  employ  15,000  looms;  and  the 
goods  produced  were  supposed  to  amount  to  the  yearly 
value  of  1,500,000/. 

Next  in  eminence  are  the  cities  of  Perth  ..nd  Aberdeen, 
and  the  town  of  Dundee.  Perth  is  an  ancient  town,  sup- 
posed to  have  been  the  Victoria  of  the  Romans.  Linen 
forms  the  staple  manufacture,  to  the  annual  amount  of 
about  60,000/.  There  are  also  manufactures  of  leather 
and  paper.     Inhabitants  i4,8ir8. 

About  eighteen  miles  nearer  the  mouth  of  the  Tay, 
stands  Dundee,  in  the  county  of  Angus,  a  neat  modern 
town.  The  Firth  of  Tay  is  here  between  two  and  three 
miles  broad ;  and  there  is  a  good  road  for  shipping  to  the 
east  of  the  town,  as  far  as  Broughty-castle.  On  the  1st 
of  September,  1651,  Dundee  was  taken  by  storm  by  Ge- 
neral Monk;  and  Lumisden,  the  governor,  perished 
amidst  a  torrent  of  bloodshed.  The  population  is  how- 
ever, now  equal  to  26,084;  the  public  edifices  are  neat  and 
commodious.     In  1792,  the  vessels  belonging  to  the  port 


SCOTLAND. 


65 


amounted  to  116,  tonnage  8,5  50.  The  staple  manufacture 
is  linen,  to  the  annual  value  of  about  80,000/.  canvass,  &c. 
about  40,000/.  Coloured  thread  also  forms  a  considerable 
article,  cemputed  at  33,000/.  and  tanned  leather  at  14,000/. 

Aberdeen  first  rose  to  notice  in  the  eleventh  century, 
and  continued  to  be  chiefly  memorable  in  ecclesiastical 
story.  The  population  in  1795,  was  computed  at  24,493, 
but  the  enumeration  in  1801,  reduced  it  to  17,597.  Though 
the  harbour  be  not  remarkably  commodious,  it  can  boast 
a  considerable  trade,  the  chief  exports  being  salmon  and 
vkrooUen  goods.  In  1795,  the  British  ships  entered  at  the 
port,  v^ere  sixty-one,  the  foreign  five  ;  and  the  British 
ships  cleared  outwards,  amounted  to  twenty-eight.  The 
thief  manufactures  are  woollen  goods,  particularly  stock- 
ings, the  annual  export  of  which  is  computed  at  123,000/. 

Greenock,  by  sharing  in  the  trade  with  Glasgow,  has 
risen  to  considerable  celebrity;  it  contains  17,458  inha- 
bitants. Paisley,  in  the  same  county  is  famous  for  its 
manufacture  of  muslins,  lawns,  and  gauzes  to  the  annual 
amount  of  660,000/.  Population  31,000.  Scotland  has 
many  other  considerable  towns,  but  it  would  exceed  our 
limits  to  be  more  particular. 

Edifices.  Scotland  abounds  with  remarkable 

edifices,  ancient  and  modern ;  we  shall  only  mention  a  few 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  capital,  viz. 

Hopeton-house,  the  splendid  residence  of  the  Earl  of 
Hopeton ;  Dalkeith,  palace,  a  seat  of  the  Duke  of  Buc- 
cleugh;  Newbbttel,  the  seat  of  the  Marquis  of  Lothian  ; 
Melville-castle,  the  elegant  villa  of  the  Rt.  Hon.  Henry 
Dundas,  and  the  splendid  mansion  of  the  Marquis  of 
Abercorn. 

Inland  Navigation.  The  most  remarkable  in- 
land navigation  in  Scotland,  is  the  excellent  and  extensive 
canal  from  the  Forth  to  the  Clyde,  commenced  in  1768, 
from  a  survey  by  Smeaton  four  years  before. 

"  The  dimensions  of  this  canal,  though  greatly  con- 
tracted from  the  original  design,  are  much  superior  to 
any  work  of  the  same  nature  in  South-Britain.  The 
English  canals  are  generally  from  three  to  five  feet  deep 
and  from  twenty  to  forty  feet  wide,  and  the  lock  Pates 

from  ten  tn  tw*»1v*»  f/p*»t       TLa  Aon4^u  ^c  4.1 1  1     . 

— — ,.     i  j.^  ij^-iJiii  \jt.  liic  ^.aiiui  oeiweeu 

the  Forth  and  Clyde  is  seven  feet;  its  brevlth  at  the  sur 

F2 


66 


SCOTLAND. 


fl\ce  fifty-six  feet:  the  locks  are  seventy-five  feet  long, 
and  theii-  gates  twenty  feet  wide.  It  is  raised  from  the 
Carron  b;  i  -;af>  locks,  in  a  tract  of  ten  miles,  to  the 
amaziug  height  of  155  feet  above  the  medium  full  sea- 
mark. At  the  twentieth  lock  beginr  the  canal  of  parti- 
tion on  the  summit  between  the  east  and  west  seas ;  which 
canal  of  partition  continues  eighteen  miles,  on  a  level,  ter- 
minating at  Hamilton-hili,  a  mile  N.  W.  of  the  Clyde,  at 
Glasgow.  In  the  fourth  niie  of  the  canal  there  are  ten 
locks,  and  a  fine  aqueduct  bridge,  which  crosses  the  great 
road  leading  from  Edinburgh  to  Glasgow.  At  Kirkintul- 
lock,  the  cana'  is  carried  over  the  water  of  Logic,  on  an 
aqueduct  brlage,  the  arch  of  which  is  ninety  feet  broad. 
There  are  in  the  whole  eighteen  draw  bridges,  and  fifteen 
aqueduct  bridges,  of  considerable  size,  besides  small  ones 
and  tunnels." 

The  supplying  the  canal  with  water,  was  of  itself  a  very 
great  work.  One  reservoir  is  above  twenty -four  feet 
(leep,  and  covers  a  surface  of  fifty  acres,  near  Kilsyth. 
Another,  about  seven  miles  north  of  Cilasgow,  consists  of 
seventy  acres,  and  is  banked  up  at  the  sluice,  twenty-two 
feet. 

The  distance  between  the  Firths  of  Clyde,  and  Forth, 
by  the  nearest  passage,  that  of  the  Pentland  Firth,  is  600 
miles,  by  this  canal  scarcely  100.  On  the  28th  of  July^ 
1790,  the  canal  was  comjiletely  open  from  sea  to  sea, 
when  n  hogshead  of  the  water  of  Forth  was  po  .red  into  the 
Clyde,  as  a  symbol  of  their  junction. 

Commerce.  The  commerce  of  Scotland,  though 
on  a  sniaHer  scale,  is  similar  to  that  of  England,  and  i^ar- 
takes  of  the  national  prosperity.  The  chief  exports  are 
linen,  grain,  iron,  glass,  lead,  woollens,  Sec.  The  imports 
are  wines,  brandy,  rum,  sugar,  rice,  indigo,  cotton,  tobacco. 
The  fisheries  are  a  growin*^  part  of  the  national  wealth. 
The  principal  manufactares  are  linen  of  various  kinds,  to 
the  value,  it  is  said,  of  750,000/.  annually.  Of  woollens, 
Scotch  carpets  seem  to  form  the  most  conspicuous  branch. 
The  iron  manufactures  of  Carron  are  deservedly  famous. 

Climate  and  Seasons.  The  climate  of  Scotland 
is  such  as  might  be  expected  ii'om  its  insular  situation, 
ami  high  latitude,  In  the  east  there  is  not  so  much  hu- 
ifudity  as  in  England,  as  the  mountains  oil  the  west  irfrest 


SCOTLAND. 


•f 


the  vapours  from  the  Atlantic.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
western  counties  are  deluged  with  rain.  Even  the  winter 
is  more  di3tin<vuishable  for  the  quantity  of  snow,  than  the 
intensity  of  the  frost.  In  the  summer,  the  heat  in  the 
valleys  is  reflected  with  great  power.  These  observations 
apply  chiefly  to  the  north  and  west.  U\  the  east  and  south, 
the  climate  differs  but  little  from  that  of  Yorkshire. 

Soil  and  Agriculture.  For  a  mi»ute  account 
of  the  various  soils  that  prevail  in  Scotland,  and  the  dif- 
ferent modes  of  Agriculture,  the  reader  must  be  referred 
to  the  Statistical  Accounts,  published  by  Sir  .Tohn  Sinclair. 
The  excelleace  of  the  Eui^lish  agriculture,  has  justly  en- 
titled it  to  an  imitation  almost  universal.  But  this  advan- 
tage is  of  recent  date  ;  and,  for  a  lonii;-  period  of  time, 
Scotland  was  remarkable  for  producinj.^  the  best  gardeners 
and  the  worst  farmers  in  Europe. 

RiveRs.  The  three  chief  rivers  of  Scotland,  are 
the  Forth,  the  Clyde,  and  the  Tay.  The  chief  source  of 
the  Forth  is  from  Ben  Lomond,  or  rather  from  the  two 
lakes.  Con  and  Ard :  and  about  four  miles  above  Sterling, 
it  forms  a  noble  stream. 

The  Clyde  is  said  to  issue  from  a  hill  in  the  S.  E.  cor- 
ner  of  Tweeddale,  called  Arrik  Stane,  which  is  undoubt- 
edly the  chief  source  of  the  TAveed,  and  one  source  of  the 
Annan  ;  but  the  Clyde  has  a  more  remote  source  in  Kir- 
shop,  or  Dair  water,  rising  about  six  miles  further  to  the 
south,  in  the  very  extremity  of  Lanarkshire. 

The  principal  source  of  the  Tay,  is  the  lake  of  the  same 
name,  or  the  river  may  be  traced  to  the  more  westerly 
sources  of  the  Attrick  aftd  the  Dochart,  and  the  smaller 
stream  of  Locy  ;  which  fall  into  the  western  extremity  of 
Loch  Tay.  The  streams  of  Ericht  and  Hay,  swell  the 
Tay,  about  nine  miles  to  the  north  of  Perth  ;  after  passing 
which  city  i  receives  the  venerable  stream  of  tlie  Em,  and 
spreads  into  a  wide  estuary. 

Next  in  consequence  and  in  fame,  is  the  Tweed,  a  beau 
tiful  and  pastoral  stream,  which,  receiving  the  Teviot  from 
the  south,  near  Kelso,  falls  into  the  sea  at  Berwick. 

Lakes.        Scotland  abounds  in  lakes,  by  the  inha 
bitantsjraljed  lochs  :  the  principal  of  which  are  the  loch 
i  ay,  tiic  loch  Lumond,  and  the  loch  Du.     fhey  also  eiv«^ 
the  name  of  loch  to  an  arm  of  the  sea,  of  whkb  loch  Tin 


6« 


SCOTLAND. 


is  one,  and  is  60  miles  long  and  4  broad.  On  the  top  of  a 
hill  near  Lochness,  accounted  near  two  miles  perpendicu- 
lar, is  a  lalce  of  fresh  water,  alwut  sixty  yards  in  length » 
and  thought  to  be  unfathomable  ;  this  lake  never  freezes, 
whereas  the  loch-anwyn,  or  green  lake,  about  17  miles 
from  it,  is  perpetually  covered  with  ice. 

Mountains.  One  of  the  most  striking  features 
of  Scotland  is  its  numerous  mountains  :  the  chief  of  which 
are  the  Grampian  Hills  forming  the  southern  boundary  of 
the  Highlands  :  the  Pentland  hills  ;  Lamermoor  ;  and  the 
Cheviot  hills.  Ben  Nevis  is  the  highest  mountain  in 
Great  Britain,  being  4,350  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea 
— rand  yet  this  is  not  much  above  the  quarter  of  the  height 
of  Mont  Blanc.  This  mountain  on  the  N.  E.  presents  a 
precipice  almost  perpendicular,  of  1 500  feet  in  depth  ;  and 
affords  from  its  summit  a  grand  view  of  the  circumjacent 
country,  to  the  extent  of  about  eighty  miles. 

Vegetable  and  Animal  Productions,  The 

soil  varies  in  different  parts  of  the  country.  It  is  not  in 
general  as  fertile  as  that  of  England,  but  as  the  spirit  of 
improvement  has  spread  tlirough  the  country,  its  aspect 
is  changing  fast  for  the  better.  Many  spots  which  were  • 
formerly  nothing  but  barren  heath,  now  exhibit  thriving 
plantations.  The  vegetable  productions  of  the  low-lands 
are  much  the  same  as  those  of  England,  but  they  do  not 
arrive  so  early  at  maturity.  The  high-lands  still  contain 
many  extensive  sterile  tracts;  the  soil  indeed  in  many 
places  seems  only  adapteclto  the  propagation  of  firs. — The 
animals  of  Scotland  are  pretty  much  the  same  as  those 
of  England.  The  high-lands  are  stocked  with  red-deer, 
roe-bucks,  hares,  rabbits,  foxes,  wild  cats,  and  badgers ; 
and  the  hills  in  general  are  covered  with  black  cattle  and 
sheep.  Grouse  and  the  heath-cock,  the  capperkailly  and 
plarmacan  are  found  here.  The  two  Luter  are  esteemed 
great  delicacies. — The  horses  in  Scotland  are  exceedingly 
small,  and  great  pains  have  been  taken  formerly  to  im- 
prove the  breed,  by  importing  a  large  and  more  noble  kind 
from  the  Continent,  but  the  soil  and  climate  are  so  un- 
favourable, that  the  cattle  always  degenerated. — Scotland 
abounds  in  its  seas,  rivers  and  lakes  with  fish  of  all  kinds, 
and  contribiites  great  supplies  to  the  English  market;  par- 
ticularly in  lobsters  and  salmon. 


SCOTLAND. 


69 


Minerals.  The  chief  minerals  of  Scotland  are 
lead,  iron,  and  coal.  The  lead-mines  in  the  south  of  La' 
narkshire  have  been  lonjj  known.  Those  of  Wanlock- 
head  are  in  the  immediate  neighbourhood,  but  in  the 
county  of  Dumfries.  Some  slight  veins  of  lead  have  also 
been  found  in  tht  western  Highlands,  particularly  Arran. 
Iron  is  found  in  various  parts  of  Scotland ;  the  Carron  ore 
is  the  most  known,  it  is  an  argillaceous  iron-stone,  and  is 
found  in  slaty  masses,  and  in  nodules,  in  an  adjacent  coal- 
mine, of  which  it  sometimes  forms  the  roof.  At  the  Car- 
ron-works  this  ore  is  often  smelted  with  the  red  greasy 
iron  ore  from  Ulverston,  in  Lancashire,  which  imparts 
easier  fusion,  and  superior  value.  Calamine,  or  zinc,  is 
also  found  at  Wanlock-head  ;  and  it  is  said,  that  plumbago 
and  antimony  may  be  traced  in  Scotland. 

But  the  chief  mineral  is  coal,  which  has  been  worked 
for  a  succession  of  ages.  Pope  Pius  IL  in  his  description 
of  PLurope,  written  about  1450,  mentions  that  he  beheld 
with  wonder,  black  stones  given  as  alms  to  the  poor  o 
Scotland.  The  Lothians  and  Fifeshire  particularly  abound 
with  this  useful  mineral,  which  also  extends  into  Ayr- 
shire ;  and  near  Irwin  is  found  coal,  of  a  curious  kind, 
called  ribbon  coal. 

ScoTisH   IsLAKDs.  The  northern  and  western 

sides  of  Scotland  are  begirt  with  numerous  small  islands  ; 
on  the  west  I'e  the  Hebrides,  or  western  Islands  ;  on  the 
north,  the  Orkneys,  or  Orcades,  and  still  farther  north 
the  islands  oi"  Shetland,  where  the  hardy  inhabitants  derive 
much  of  their  sustenance  from  climbing  the  stupendous 
rocks,  in  search  of  birds  and  their  nests,  which  multiply 
there  in  astonishing  abundance. 


IRELAND. 


\^ 


THE  large  and  fertile  island  of  Ireland,  beinjjf  situated 
to  the  west  of  Great  Britain,  was  probably  discovered 
.by  the  Phoenicians  as  early  as  the  sister  island  ;  and  it  ap- 
pears that  the  island  was  known  to  the  Greeks  by  the 
name  of  Juverna,  about  two  centuries  before  the  birth  of 
Christ.  When  C«sar  made  his  expedition  into  Britain, 
he  describes  Hibernia  as  being  about  half  the  size  of  the 
island  which  he  had  explored.  As  the  country  had  be- 
come more  and  more  known,  the  Romans  discovered  that 
the  ruling  people  in  Ireland  were  the  Scoti,  and  thence- 
forth the  country  began  to  be  termed  Scotia ;  an  appella- 
tion retained  by  the  monastic  writers  till  the  eleventh  cen- 
tury, wheri  the  name  Scotia  havin;^;  passed  to  modern 
Scotland,  the  ancient  name  of  Ilibernia  began  to  reassume 
its  honours. 

Extent.  The  extent  of  this  island  is  about  300 
miles  in  length,  and  about  160  at  the  greatest  breadth. 
The  contents  in  square  miles  are  about  2?, 457,  whicii 
reckoning  the  population  at  3,000,000,  will  be  about  114 
persons  to  a  square  mile. 

Original  Population.  It  is  probable  this  island 
was  first  peopled  by  adventurers  from  Gaul,  who  were 
followed  by  their  brethren  the  Guydill  from  England. 
About  the  time  that  the  Belg«  sei^ied  on  the  south  of 
England,  kindred  Gothic  tribes  passed  into  Ireland.  These 
are  the  Firbolg  of  the  Irish  traditions,  and  were  denomi- 
nated Scoti  by  the  Romans,  as  they  had  made  themselves 


IRELAND. 


n 


reassunie 


known,  not  only  by  extending  their  conquests  in  Ireland, 
but  by  invadin{^  the  Komun  province  of  Britain. 

Historical  Epochs.  The  first  historical  epocl^ 
of  Ireland  is  its  po^iulatiun  by  the  Celtic  Gauls,  and  at  a 
subsequent  period,  by  the  Belgx. 

2.  The  conversion  of  Ireland  to  Christianity  in  the  fifth 
century,  which  was  followed  by  a  singular  effect ;  for 
while  the  mass  of  the  people  retained  all  the  ferocity  of 
savajje  manners,  the  nionasteries  produced  many  men  of 
such  piety  and  learning,  that  Vcotia  or  Ireland  became  ce- 
lebrated all  over  Christendom. 

3.  The  lustre  diminished  by  the  ravages  of  the  Scan- 
dinavians, which  began  with  the  ninth  century,  and  can 
hardly  be  said  to  have  ceaned  when  the  English  settlement 
commenced.  The  island  split  into  numerous  principali- 
ties, or  kingdoms.  The  constant  dissentions  of  so  many 
small  tribes  rendered  the  island  an  easy  prey. 

4.  In  the  year  1170,  Henry  II.  permitted  RichaM 
Strongbow  Earl  of  Fcml)roke  to  eflV-ct  a  settlement  in 
Ireland,  which  laid  the  foundation  of  the  English  posses- 
sions in  that  country. 

5.  Ireland  began  to  produce  some  manufactures  about 
the  fourteenth  century,  and  ker-sayes  or  thin  woollen 
cloths  were  exported  to  Italy. 

6.  Richard  II.  king  of  England,,  attempted  in  person 
the  conquest  of  Ireland,  but  being  imprudent  and  ill-serv- 
ed, nothing  of  moment  was  effected. 

7.  In  the  reign  of  James  I.  Ireland  became  entirely  sub- 
jugated ;  and  colonies  of  English  and  Scotch  were  estab- 
lished in  the  north. 

8.  The  Irish,  instigated  by  their  fanatic  priests,  execut- 
ed a  dreadful  massacre  of  the  flnglish  settlers  in  1641. 
This  insurrection  was  not  totally  crushed  till  Cromwell  led 
his  veterans  into  Ireland. 

9.  The  appearance  of  James  II.  in  Ireland  to  reclaim  his 
crown,  may  also  deserve  a  place. 

10.  The  amazing  progress  of  Ireland  in  manufactures 
and  commerce,  within  these  twenty  years,  may  be  classed 
as  the  most  illustrious  of  its  historical  epochs. 

11.  Its  union  with  Great  Britain. 

Religion.         The /e^-a/ religion  of  Ireland  is  that 
of  the  church  of  England  ;  but  it  is  computed  that  two- 


72 


IRELAND. 


;-! 


|r    I 


VI 


thirds  of  the  people  are  Catholics  ;  and  of  the  remaining 
third  the  Presbytei*ians  are  supposed  to  constitute  one  half. 
The  ecclesiastical  discipline  of  the  established  church 
is  the  same  as  in  England.  The  Catholics  retain  their 
Bominal  bishops  and  dignitaries,  who  subsist  by  the  vo- 
luntary contributions  of  their  votaries ;  but  notwithstand- 
ing the  blind  superstition  and  ignorance  of  the  latter,  Pro- 
testantism increases  every  year.  The  institution  of  the 
Protestant-working  schools  has  contributed  much  to  this 
salutary  purpose. 

The  Arch-Bishoprics  in  Ireland  are  four;  Armagh, 
Dublin,  Cashel  and  Tuam. — The  Bishoprics  arc  eighteen, 
viz.  Clogher,  Clonfert,  Cloyne,  Cork,  Derry,  Down,  Dro- 
more,  Elphin,  Kildare,  Killala,  Kilmore,  Killaloe,  Leigh- 
lin,  Limerick,  Meath,  Ossory,  Raphoe  and  Waterford. 

Government.  Ireland  being  now  happily  united 
with  England,  the  form  of  government  of  course  is  identi- 
cally the  same,  except  in  some  minute  variations  between 
the  statute  and  common  laws  of  the  two  islands. 

Civil  Division.  Ireland  is  divided  into  four  pro- 

vinces, viz.  Ulster  to  the  north,  which  contains  nine 
counties ;  Connaught  to  the  west,  five  counties  ;  Leinster 
to  the  east,  twelve  counties ;  and  Munster  to  the  south, 
six  counties. 

Population.  Agreeably  to  the  most  authentic 
documents,  the  population  of  Ireland  is  about  three  mil- 
lions, of  which  near  two-thirds  are  Roman  Catholics,  al- 
though these  latter  do  not  possess  one-third  of  the  property 
real  and  personal. 

Military  Strength.  In  consequence  of  the 
late  rebelHon,  and  the  threats  of  a  French  invasion,  a  very 
considerable  military  force  is  now  kept  up  in  Ireland,  viz. 


\)i 


i 


[i  1 


Regulars,      45,839. 
Militia,  27,104. 

Yeomanry,   53,557. 


126,500. 

Revenue.        The  public  revenues  of  Ireland  wei'e 

computed    by  a  late    intelligent    traveller    at    about  one 

million  sterling,  or  about  6«.  8d.  per  head,  when  those  of 

England  were  as  high  as  29ff.— .But  a  great  proportion  of 


V 

■  I 


IRELAND. 


73 


the  emigrants  who  have  made  their  escape  to  the  United 
States,  and  have  clamoured  so  loudly  of  their  oppressions, 
never  paid  any  public  taxes  whatever  in  their  native 
country. 

M^NVERs  AND  CusTOMS.  With  respect  to  the 
present  descendants  of  the  old  Irish,  they  are  generally 
represented  as  an  ignorant,  uncivilized  and  blundering 
people.  Impatient  of  abuse  and  injury,  they  are  impla- 
cable and  violent  in  all  their  affections ;  but  quick  of  appre- 
iiension, ^courteous  to  strangers,  and  inured  to  hardships. 
Some  of  the  old  uncouth  customs  still  prevail  among 
them,  particularly  their  funeral  bowlings,  and  the  plac- 
ing a  dead  corpse  before  their  doors,  laid  out  on  tables, 
having  a  plate  on  the  body  to  excite  the  charity  of  passen- 
gers. Their  convivial  meetings  on  Sunday  afternoon,  with 
dancmg  to  the  bagpipe,  and  more  often  quarrelling  among 
themselves,  are  offensive  to  every  civilized  traveller.  Their 
diet  consists  chiefly  of  buttermilk  and  potatoes;  and  their 
cottages  are  wretched  hovels  of  mud.  The  manners  of 
the  superior  classes  of  people  now  nearly  approach  to 
the  English  standard,  and  will  be  more  assimilated  by  the 
influence  of  the  union. 

Schools.  The  literature  of  Ireland  has  a  vener- 
able claim  to  antiquity.  The  Anglo-Saxons,  in  particular, 
derived  their  first  illumination  from  Ireland ;  and  in  Scot- 
land literature  continued  to  be  the  special  province  of  the 
Irish  clergy,  till  the  thirteenth  century:  but  the  nation 
sunk  a^ain  into  the  grossest  ignorance. 

It  is  to  be  hoped  that  one  consequence,  and  not  the  least 
important  of  the  union,  will  be  the  introduction  of  paro. 
chial  education  into  Ireland,  as  the  surest  mean  of  pre- 
ventmg  the  ebullitions  of  ignorant  discontent,  of  drunken- 
ness and  rebellion. 

With  four  archbishoprics  Ireland  onlv  possesses  one 
university,  that  of  Dublin.  This  institution  was  first 
projected  by  archbishop  Leech,  about  the  year  1311  • 
but  death  having  interrupted  his  design,  it  was  revived 
tad  executed  by  Bicknor  his  successor,  and  enjoyed  mo- 
fS  P'^^'P'^'y  *^'  ^^"^  f°^^y  y^^'^^  ^hen  the  revenues 

In  the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  the  university  was  refounded 
by  voluntary  contribution,  under  the  auspicies  of  Sidney 


74 


IRELAND. 


m 


r  n 


iff. 


the  Lord  Deputy.  It  consists  of  a  chancellor,  vice-chan- 
cellor, provost,  vice-provost,  twenty -two  fellows,  and  thir- 
teen professors  of  various  sciences.  The  number  of  stu- 
dents is  commonly  about  four  hundred,  including  seventy 
on  the  foundation.  The  building  consists  of  two  qua- 
drangles, and  it  contains  a  library  of  some  account,  and  a 
printing-office. 

Cities  and  Towns.  Dublin  the  capital  city  of 
Ireland  seems  to  be  the  Eblana  of  Ptolemy ;  but  continued 
little  known  till  the  tenth  century,  when  it  was  mentioned 
in  the  Saxon  Chronicle  ;  and  in  the  beginning  of  the  next 
century,  we  have  coins  of  Canute  struck  at  Dublin.  The 
situation  is  delightful,  in  a  bottom,  between  ranges  of  hills 
on  the  south  and  north.  Jt  is  pervaded  by  the  river  Liffy, 
and  by  some  rivulets.  The  inhabitants  have  been  esti- 
mated at  1 50,000  ;  this  capital  being  justly  accounted  the 
second  in  the  British  dominions. 

In  proceeding  to  give  an  account  of  the  other  principal 
towns  and  cities  of  Ireland,  Cork,  and  Limerick  attract  the 
first  attention.  Cork  is  a  c:ty  of  considerable  importance, 
situated  on  the  south-east  s-de  of  the  island,  and  supposed 
to  contain  about  70,000  inhabitants.  It  is  the  grand  mar- 
ket of  Irish  provisions ;  and  it  was  computed  that  not  less 
than  a  hundred  thousand  cattle  were  here  annually  killed 
and  salted  between  the  months  of  August  and  January. 
The  duties  of  the  harbour,  in  1751  were  62,000/.  and  in 
1779,  140,000/.  a  prodigious  improvement  in  twenty -eight 

years. 

Limerick  unites  the  fortunate  situation  of  being  almost 
central  to  the  south  of  Ireland,  with  an  excellent  haven, 
formed  by  the  long  estuary  of  the  river  Shannon.  The 
city  is  accounted  the  third  in  Ireland,  and  was  formerly 
fortified  with  great  care.  There  are  three  bridges  over 
the  river,  one  of  which  consists  of  fourteen  arches.  The 
number  of  inhabitants  has  been  computed  at  50,000.  The 
chief  exports  are  beef  and  other  provisions. 

Galway  is  a  town  of  considerable  note,  and  carries  on  an 
extensive  trade  with  the  West  Indies.  The  port  is  com- 
modious and  safe,  but  distant  from  the  city,  which  can 
only  be  reached  by  vessels  of  small  burden  :  the  number 
of  inhabitants  is  computed  at  12,000. 


IRELAND. 


75 


:e-chan- 
[id  thir- 
r  of  stu- 
seventy 
vo  qua- 
t,  and  a 

city  of 
)ntinued 
jntioned 
the  next 
1.  The 
;  of  hills 
:r  Liffy, 
;en  esti- 
nted  the 

)rincipal 
ti^act  the 
>ortance, 
upposed 
md  mar- 
not  less 
lly  killed 
January. 
/.  and  in 
ity-eight 

r  almost 
It  haven, 
.n.  The 
formerly 
ges  over 
is.  The 
>00.  The 

ies  on  an 

t  is  com- 

hich  can 

number 


Londonderry  is  more  remarkable  for  its  ancient  and 
military  fame  than  for  its  present  commerce,  though  not 
unimportant.  It  stands  on  the  river  Foyle,  over  which  a 
wooden  bridge  of  singular  construction,  one  thousand  and 
sixty -eight  feet  in  length,  was  thrown  in  1791. 

Belfast  on  the  north-east  is  in  the  centre  of  the  linen 
manufactures,  and  may  almost  be  regarded  as  a  Scottish 
colony.  The  inhabitants  are  computed  at  18,000.  The 
chief  manufactures,  cotton,  cambric,  sail-cloth,  linen,  with 
glass,  sugar,  and  earthen-ware.  It  maintains  cf>nsiderable 
intercourse  with  the  commercial  city  of  Glasgow ;  and 
the  grand  exports  are  to  the  West  Indies  and  America. 

Waterford  is  a  city  of  considerable  importance,  situat- 
ed on  the  river  S»  ir,  and  is  supposed  to  have  been  founded 
by  the  Danes.  It  suffered  greatly  in  the  late  disorders  ; 
and  the  inhabitants  cannot  now  be  supposed  to  exceed 
30,000.  The  chief  exports  are  beef,  pork,  &c.  and  linen. 
Packet-boats  sail  regularly  betwixt  Waterford  ai  d  Milford 
Haven. 

Edifices.  The  chief  edifices  of  Ireland  are  con- 
fined to  the  capital.  The  cathedrals  seldom  aspire  to 
great  praise  of  architecture ;  and  the  illas  oT  the  nobility 
generally  yield  in  splendour  to  those  of  England,  and 
even  of  Scotland. 

Inland  Navigation.  The  advantages  derived 
by  England  from  inland  navigation  soon  attracted  the  at- 
tention of  Ireland ;  and  not  many  years  after  the  example 
set  by  the  Duke  of  Bridgewater,  a  grand  canal  was  begun 
Irom  the  city  of  Dublin  to  the  river  Shannon,  and  w^s  ac^ 

frnL?'''^^  °\  ^"^  ^^  ^^^  °f  ^"^"'  ^t  the  expence  of 
77,000/.  But  the  engineer's  want  of  ability  occasioned 
great  errors  in  the  ori-hial  plfin  and  survey  ;  and  the  work 
was  interrupted  in  1770, 

A  canal  is  completed  from  the  town  of  Newry  to  the 
sea,  which  was,  however,  intended  to  have  passed  that 
town  towards  th,  ..lUeries  of  Drumglass  and  Dungannon. 
1  his  attempt  ao.v^ver,  to  supply  r Mm  with  Irish  coals, 
has  hitherto  ^>pe'.,  only  successful  in  part,  though  the  beds 
ot  coals  are  said  to  be  very  abundant. 

Manufactures  and  Commerce.  Thourh  we 
find  that  Ireland  was  distinguished  at  an  early  peHod  for 
her  manuflicture  of  woollen-stuifs,  yet  the  spiriLf  industry 


76 


IRELAND. 


hi 


made  little  progress,  and  the  chief  Irish  manufactures  are 
of  recent  institution.  But  the  linen  manufacture  was  hot  un- 
i(.nown  in  Ireland  in  more  early  times,  as  appears  from  the 
acts  of  parliament  in  the  reigns  of  Henry  VIII.  and  Eliza- 
beth. The  annual  produce  of  the  linen  manufacture  is  com- 
puted at  about  2,000,000/.  sterling :  and  the  average  of  all 
the  exports  of  Ireland  is  between  four  and  five  millions. 

Climatk.  Ireland  lying  nearly  in  the  same  pa- 
rallel with  England,  the  difference  of  climate  cannot  be 
supposed  to  be  very  important.  The  mean  temperature 
of  the  north  is  obout  48  ;  of  the  middle  50  ;  of  the  south 
55?  of  Fahrenlie't. 

Soil  and  Agriculture.  Mr.  Young  observes, 
that  the  quantity  of  the  cultivated  land  exceeds,  in  propor- 
tion, that  of  England.  The  most  striking  feature  is  the 
rocky  nature  of  the  soil,  stones  generally  appearing  on 
the  surface,  yet  without  any  injury  to  the  fertility  ;  even 
in  the  most  ilat  and  fertile  parts,  as  Limerick,  Tipperary, 
and  Meath.  The  climate  being  more  moist  than  that  of 
England,  the  verdure  never  appears  parched  with  heat. 
Tillage  is  little  understood,  even  in  the  best  corn  coun- 
ties; turnips  and  clover  being  almost  unknown.  The 
farfners  are  oppressed  by  a  class  of  middle  men^  who  rent 
farms  from  the  landlords,  and  let  them  to  the  real  occu- 
piers. Lime-stone  gravel  is  a  manure  peculiar  to  Ireland  ; 
having,  on  uncultivated  land,  the  same  wonderful  effects  as 
lime,  and  on  all  soils  it  is  beneficial. 

Rivers.  Among  the  chief  rivers  of  Ireland  must 
be  mentioned  the  Shannon,  which  rises  from  the  lake  of 
Allen ;  and  passing  through  two  other  large  lakes,  extends 
below  Limerick,  into  a  vast  estuary  or  firth,  about  sixty 
miles  in  length,  and  from  three  to  ten  in  breadth.  This 
noble  r'ver  is,  almost  through  its  whole  course,  so  wide 
and  deep,  as  to  afford  easy  navigation.  The  other  princi- 
pal rivers  are  the  Barrow,  Nour,  Suir,  Banna,  Lee,  Liffy 
and  Boyne. 

The  lakeft  of  Ireland  are  numerous,  and  some  of  them 
extensive.  The  chief  lake  of  fresh  water  is  that  of  Earn, 
which  exceeds  thirty  British  miles  in  length,  and  twelve 
in  its  greatest  breadth ;  it  is  divided  by  a  narrow  outlet 
from  the  southern  part  into  the  northern,  of  about  four 
miles  in  'ength. 


IRELAND. 


n 


bserves, 
I  propor- 
■e  is  the 
aring  on 
y ;  even 
pperary, 
n  that  of 
ith  heat. 
*n  coun- 
n.  The 
r^ho  rent 
2al  occti- 
Ireland ; 
iffects  as 

nd  must 
I  lake  of 

extends 
3ut  sixty 
1.     This 

so  wide 
r  princi- 
se,  Lifiy 

of  them 
of  Earn, 
id  twelve 
)w  outlet 
lOut  four 


t- 


Next  in  magnitude  is  Neagh,  abeut  twenty-two  miles  in 
length,  and  twelve  in  breadth.  Both  these  lakes  are  stud- 
ded with  small  islands ;  and  the  latter  is  said  to  possess  a 
petrifying  quality. 

The  lake  of  Corrib,  in  the  county  of  Galway,  is  about 
twenty  miles  in  length,  and  from  two  to  five  wide. 

Among  the  lakes  of  the  second  magnitude  we  will  only 
mention  the  beautiful  and  interesting  Lough  of  Killarney 
in  the  S.  W.  abounding  with  romantic  views,  and  fringed 
with  the  arbutus,  no  where  else  a  native  of  the  British 
dominions. 

MouNTAiKs.  Among  the  highest  mountains  in 
Ireland  are  the  mountains  of  Carlingford,  the  Curlieus, 
which  separate  the  counties  of  Sligo  and  Roscommon; 
those  in  the  county  of  Donegal ;  the  Manguton  mountains 
in  the  county  of  Kerry ;  Croah  Patrick  in  the  county  of 
Mayo;  and  the  Galtee  mountains,  inthe  county  of  Tip- 
perary. 

Bogs.  These  are  numerous  in  Ireland,  and  are 
of  different  kinds.  Some  are  grassy,  in  which  the  water 
being  concealed  by  the  herbage,  they  are  extremely  peril- 
ous to  travellers ;  others  are  pools  of  water  and  mire  ;  and 
others  are  hassocky  bo.i^s,  or  shallow  lakes  studded  with 
tufts  of  rushes — and  lastly  the  peat  moors.  Ornaments 
of  gold,  and  other  relics  of  antiquity  have  been  found,  from 
time  to  time,  in  the  bogs  at  great  depths. 

Vegetable  and  Animal  Ptioductions.  There 
is  little  under  this  head  that  is  perv.'Jar  to  Ireland,  her 
productions  being  mostly  similar  to  those  of  England  and 
Scotland. 

Minerals.  The  mineralor?;y  of  Ireland  has  been 
recently  celebrated  for  the  discovery  of  considerable 
masses  of  native  gold,  in  the  county  of  vVicklow,  to  the 
south  of  Dublin.  It  is  reported  that  a  jeweller  who  lately 
died  in  Dublin,  often  declared  that  gold  taken  from  that 
spot,  had  passed  through  his  hands  to  the  value  of  30,000/. 
It  IS  now  worked  for  government,  and  it  is  said  that  a  very 
massy  vein  has  been  recently  discovered.  'I'he  silver  found 
in  the  Irish  mines  mingled  with  lead  deserve  more  atten- 
tion. One  of  these  mines  in  the  county  of  Antrim,  yielded 
a  pound  of  pure  silver  to  thirty  pounds  of  lea4.    Ireland 

G^ 


I 


78 


IRELAND. 


likewise  possesses  some  mines  of  copper,  and  some  of 
coal,  the  latter  perhaps  as  pure  as  any  in  the  world. 

Natural  Curiosities.  What   is    called    the 

Giant's  Causeway,  must  be  distinguished  as  the  most  re- 
markable curiosity  in  Ireland.  This  surprising  collection 
of  basaltic  pillars  is  about  eight  miles  N.  E.  from  Cole- 
raine ;  and  projects  into  the  sea  to  an  unknown  extent. 
The  part  explored  is  about  600  feet  in  length  ;  the  breadth 
from  240  to  120  feet ;  and  the  height  from  16  to  36  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  strand.  It  consists  of  many  thou- 
sand pillars,  mostly  of  a  pentagonal  form,  in  a  vertical  po- 
sition, all  of  them  separate,  though  close  together,  so  as 
to  form  a  pavement,  of  gradual  ascent.  In  the  days  of 
ignorance,  this  was  considered  as  a  stupendous  work  of 
art,  but  it  is  now  more  justly  viewed  as  a  rare  natural 
phenomenon. 


FRANCE. 


FRANCE  is  deservedly  considered  amongst  the 
most  eminent  European  states. — In  the  year  600  before 
Christ  the  Phocaeans,  sailing  from  Ionia,  founded  Massilia, 
now  called  Marseilles.  The  more  ancient  inhabitants  were 

Celts,  the  aborigines  of  great  part  of  western  ICurope. 

The  southern  parts  of  Gaul  (the  original  name  of  the 
country)  became  known  at  an  early  period  to  the  Komans, 
who  entered  that  region  about  120  years  before  the  Chris- 
tian aera,  and  soon  afterwards  founded  the  province  termed 
Gallia  Bracata,  from  bracca,  a  sort  of  breeches  worn  by 
the  inhabitants  ;  but  the  remainder  of  this  extensive  and 
fertile  country  was  reserved  for  the  conquerint'^  arms 
of  Julius  Caesar.  On  the  decline  of  the  Roman  empire  it 
was  over-run  by  the  Franks,  an  assemblage  of  tribes  from 
lower  Germany,  and  from  them  it  received  its  present  de- 
nomination. 

Extent.  The  extent  of  France  before  the  re- 

cent acquisitions,  was  computed  at  148,840  square  miles  • 
and  supposing  the  then  population  to  be  26,000  000* 
would  render  174  inhabitants  to  each  mile  square  The 
boundaries  were,  on  the  west,  the  Atlantic  ocean  ;  on  the 
south,  the  Mediterranean  and  Pyrenees  ;  on  the  east, 
bavoy,  Swisserland,  and  Germany ;  on  the  north,  the  Aus- 
trian Netherlands,  the  German  sea,  and  linglish  Channel 
It  extends  from  about  the  42d  to  near  the  51st  decree  of 
N.  ktitude;  from  about  the  7th  degree  of  longitude  west 
.rozM  X  ans,  tu  about  the  5th  on  ihc  east  j  being  m  length 


80 


FRANCE. 


N.  to  S.  about  600  British  miles,  and  in  breadth,  W.  to  E. 

about  560 

Original  Population.  The  primitive  inhabi- 
tants were  the  Celts,  to  whom  no  anterior  people  can  be 
traced  in  the  vrestern  regions  of  Europe ;  but  on  the  S. 
W.  the  Aquitani,  of  African  descent,  had  passed  from 
Spain  ;  and  on  the  N.  K.  the  warlike  German  tribes, 
known  by  the  name  of  Helgae,  had  seized  on  a  third  part 
of  the  country,  where  they  introduced  the  Gothic  lan- 
guage and  manners.  On  the  S.  also  the  German  Gauls 
had  diffused  themselves  into  what  was  called  Gallia  I3ra- 
cata :  Tior  must  the  Greek  colonies  be  forgotten.  The 
solidity  and  duration  of  the  Roman  conquests  difl'used  the 
Latin  language  through  all  ranks,  together  with  their  laws 
and  government. 

Divisions.  Before  the  revolution  this  kingdom 
was  divided  into  provinces.  The  national  assembly,  intent 
on  destroying  every  ancient  vestige,  thought  prefer  to 
parcel  it  out  into  eighty-three  departments.  The  recent 
conquests  have  been  moulded  to  a  similar  form,  under  the 
name  of  re-united  departments,  making  an  addition  of 
eighteen,  besides  the  latter  annexation  of  Piedmont  and 

the  isle  of  Elba. 

Historical  Epochs.  1.  The  primitive  popu- 

lation of  the  Celts,  and  the  conquests  of  the  Aquitani,  and 

BelgJB. 

2.  The   complete   conquest  of  the  country  by  Julius 

CsBsar. 

3.  Its  reduction  by  the  Franks  under  Clovis,  about  the 
year  490,  and  the  conversion  of  the  Franks  to  the  Chris- 
tian faith,  five  years  after  that  period. 

4.  The  obscure  and  distracted  history  of  the  Merovin- 
gian race,  till  its  final  extinction  in  the  middle  of  the  eighth 

century. 

5.  The  Carlovingian  race,  which  ascended  the  throne 
in  the  year  752,  and  was  followed,  twenty  years  after- 
wards, by  the  celebrated  reign  of  Charlemai;ne,  who  car- 
ried the  power  of  France  to  the  utmost  extent  "and  splen- 
dour, having  in  particular,  subdued  the  greatest  part  of 
Germany,  where  he  became  the  founder  and  first  sove- 
reign of  what  has  since  becB  styled  the  German  Em- 


FRANCIL 


81 


V.  to  E. 

inhabi- 
;  can  be 
1  the  S. 
id  from 
1  tribes, 
ird  part 
Lhic  lan- 
n  Gauls 
Ilia  I3ra- 
1.  The 
used  the 
leir  laws 

kingdom 
y,  intent 
reaper  to 
e  recent 
nder  the 
dition  of 
lont  and 

re  popu- 
:ani,  and 

Y  Julius 

ibout  the 
,e  Chris- 

Merovin- 
le  eighth 

e  throne 
irs  after- 
who  car- 
rid  splen- 
:  part  of 
irst  sove- 
lap  Em- 


pire, A.  D.  800,  and  which  remained  with  his  descendantvi 
for  near  a  century. 

The  accession  of  the  house  of  Capet  in  the  year  987. 

The  crusades  in  which  the  French  bore  the  chief 

sway. 

8.  The  wars  with  England.  The  acquisition  of  France 
by  Henry  V.  and  its  deliverance  by  the  Maid  of  Orleans, 
or  rather  by  Charles  Vll.  styled  the  victorious. 

9.  The  rei)  of  Lewis  XL  who,  crushing  such  power- 
ful princes  as  were  left  after  the  English  shock,  may  b^ 
regarded  as  the  father  of  absolute  monarchy. 

10.  The  reign  of  Francis  L  called  the  father  of  the  arts 
and  letters,  during  which  the  I  rench,  who  had  been  re- 
garded as  barbarians  by  the  more  civilized  people  of  Italy, 
beji;an,  on  the  contrary,  to  be  distinguished  by  superior 
refinement.  This  is  also  tlie  first  epoch  of  a  standing  army 
in  Europe. 

1 1.  The  intestine  commotions  with  the  Protestants,  and 
massacre  of  St.  Bartholomew. 

12.  The  reign  of  Henry  IV. 

13.  That  of  Louis  XIV.  loo  much  extolled  by  the  French, 
and  too  much  degraded  by  other  nations. 

14.  The  recent  revolution,  or  revolutions  which  have 
followed  one  another  with  a  rapidity  tliat  has  astonished 
Europe,  and  which  in  the  singularity  and  importance  of 
the  events,  rival  the  pages  of  ancient  history. 

Antiquities.  Several  ancient  monuments  exist 
in  France  which  are  ascribed  to  the  first  epoch.  The  Creek 
colony  at  Marseilles  seems  to  have  imparted  some  degree 
of  civilization  to  the  country,  and  the  rude  Gallic  coins  are 
evidently  an  imitation  of  tHe  Grecian  model. 

The  Roman  antiquities  in  I  ranee  are  numerous,  and 
some  of  them  in  excellent  preservation.  1  host  at  Nismes 
are  particularly  celebrated,  consisting  chiefly  of  an  amphi- 
theatre, and  the  temple  called  La  Iviaison  Cane. 

The  disclosure  of  the  grave  of  Childeric,  near  Tournay, 
in  the  last  century  presented  sonte  of  the  most  curious 
fragments.  In  an  old  tower  of  St.  Germain  du  Fr6  are 
representations  of  several  of  the  first  monarchs  of  the 
Franks,  and  many  of  their  efiigies  were  preserved  on  their 
tombs  at  St.  Dennis  and  other  places,  till  the  late  revolu- 
tion. 


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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


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82 


FRANCE. 


The  monuments  of  the  Carlovingian  race  are  yet  more 
numerous,  and  Roman  mosaics  have  illustrated  the  fame 
of  Charlemagne,  Of  the  later  periods  one  of  the  most 
singular  is  the  suit  of  tapestry,  preserved  in  the  Cathedral 
church  of  Bayeux,  representing  the  beginning  and  ter- 
mination of  the  grand  contest  between  William  and 
Harold,  which  led  to  the  conquest  of  England  by  the 
Normans.  It  is  said  to  have  been  the  work  of  Matilda, 
wife  of  William  ;  and  bears  every  mark  of  that  remote 
antiquity. 

Religion.  The  religion  of  France  is  the  Roman 
Catholic,  but  the  Gallican  church,  since  its  re-establish- 
ment by  Bonaparte,  has  been  considerably  modified  and 
rendered  almost  wholly  independent  on  Roman  influence. 

Government.  To  attempt  to  describe  the  present 
government  of  France  would  be  as  vague  as  writing  on  the 
sands  of  a  troubled  ocean.  Equally  futile  would  be  the  at- 
tempt to  describe  laws,  v/here  there  is  no  code  ;  and  which 
fluctuate  according  to  the  despotism  or  clemency  of  the 
rulers.  At  present  the  government,  both  in  form  and 
spirit,  is  a  mere  military  despotism,  the  two  senates  being 
the  passive  instruments  of  the  commander  in  chief,  who 
has  styled  himsfelf  Emi*eror  of  the  French. 

Population.  The  population  of  France  was  for- 
merly computed  at  26,000,000,  but  the  recent  acquisitions, 
if  durable,  would  swell  it  to  the  formidable  extent  of 
34,000,000.  At  all  events  France  is  a  country  teeming 
with  population,  and  quickly  resumes  her  vigour  after  stu- 
pendous losses,  as  Europe  has  repeatedly  experienced. 

Colonies.  The  French  colonies  are  at  present 
unimportant,  and  it  is  probable  will  be  lost  for  ever,  if  the 
war  which  now  rages,  should  continue  a  few  years  ;  and  of 
course  the  maritime  importance  of  the  nation  will  be  almost 
annihilated. 

Army.  The  political  convulsions  which  have  agi- 
tated this  unhappy  country,  and  yet  more  the  despotism 
of  its  rulers  have  occasionally,  within  these  few  years, 
swelled  the  French  armies  to  the  amazing  computation  of 
upwards  of  a  million.  By  a  statement  lately  published,  in 
the  Etat  Militaire^  they  now  consist  of  1 10  demi-brigades 
of  .S,200  each  ;  of  30  light  demi-brigades  of  the  same 
compliment }    eight  regiments  of  foot  artillery,  each  of 


FRANCE. 


88 


30  companies  ;  eight  of  horse  artillery,  each  of  466  men  ; 
26  regiments  of  cavalry ;  and  20  rej^iments  of  dragoons! 
each  of  800  men  ;  25  regiments  of  chasseurs,  and  12  re- 
giments of  hussars,  of  the  like  number.  Tlie  whole  ex- 
clusive of  engineers,  miners,  &c.  forming  a  force  of 
413,728.  ^ 

Navy.  The  maritime  power  of  France  was  for- 
midable even  to  England,  till  the  battle  of  La  Kogue, 
smce  which  the  British  flag  has  reigned  triumphant  on 
the  ocean,  and  the  struggles  of  France,  though  often  ener- 
getic, have  encountered  the  fixed  destiny  of  inevitable  de- 
feat. 

Revenue.  The  revenue  of  France  was  formerly 
computed  at  about  30,000,000/.  sterling ;  from  which,  after 
deducting  the  expence  of  collection,  and  the  payment  of 
the  mterest  on  the  national  debt,  there  remained  clear 
about  18,000,000 ;  but  any  attempt  to  calculate  the  present 
state  of  the  revenue  must  be  vague  and  inconclusive  :  One 
half  of  It,  perhaps,  is  wrung  from  allies  and  neutrals,  the 
United  States  hot  excepted. 

The  common  current  money  of  France  has  been  com- 
puted at  90,000,000/.  sterling,  while  that  of  Great  Britain 
has  been  estimated  at  40,000,000/.  The  late  conquests 
have  enriched  France,  and  especially  Paris,  with  the  ra- 
pine of  many  provinces  ;  and  the  generals  vie  with  the  Ro- 
mans ID  wealth  and  luxury  :  in  a  coarse  imitation  of  their 
worst  vices. 

Political  Importance  and  Relations.  The 
political  importance  and  relations  of  France  continue  to 
be  vast ;  nor  was  the  prodigious  power  of  this  state  ever 
so  completely  felt  and  acknowledged,  as  after  a  revolution 
and  a  w-r  which  threatened  her  very  existence.  When 
expected  to  fall  an  easy  prey,  she  suddenly  arose  the  ag- 
gressor, and  has  astonished  Europe  by  the  rapidity  and 
extent  of  her  victories.  The  rivalry  of  many  centuries 
between  France  and  England  sunk  into  a  petty  dispute 
when  compared  with  this  mighty  contest,  which  will  be 
telt  and  deplored  by  distant  posterity.  Yet,  by  the  pro- 
tection of  all-ruling  providence,  the  British  empire  has 
risen  superior  to  the  struggles,  and  remained  free  from 
those  scenes  of  carnage  and  devastation,  which  attended 
the  French  progress  into  other  countries  ;  and  the  French 


14 


FRANCE. 


navy  being;  reduced  to  so  insisjnificant  a  force,  Great  Bri- 
tain has  kss  to  apprehend  from  iVance,  than  at  any  former 
period.  The  other  powers  of  Kurope,  except  Russia  and 
the  northern  states,  are  either  victims  or  associates  of  the 
ambitious  projects  of  their  common  enemy. 

Manners  and  Customs.  The  manners  and  cus- 
toms of  the  French  have  been  often  delineated,  but  with 
great  deviation  from  the  true  likeness.  Tlie  most  pleasing 
parts  of  the  portrait  are  vivacity,  gaiety,  politeness,  and  a 
singular  disposition  towards  social  enjoyments.  On  the 
other  hand  ancient  and  recent  events  conspire  to  affix  a 
sanguinary  stain  and  a  rapacity  on  the  national  character, 
which  are  hardly  reconcileable  to  so  much  gaiety,  and 
seeming  benevolence. 

The  ancient  and  rooted  enmity  between  England  and 
France  nourished  many  prejudices  against  the  French 
character,  which  have  since  disappeared  in  the  reports  of 
more  candid  authors.  Yet,  witli  travellers  rccustomed  to 
the  elegance  of  English  life,  many  of  the  French  manners 
and  customs  cannot  be  reconciled  to  ideas  of  physical  pu- 
rity ;  and  the  looseness  of  morals,  in  regard  to  the  sex,  has 
become  proverbial.  The  republican  form  of  government 
has  only  spread  the  contagion  wider,  nor  has  the  liberty  of 
divorce  proved  any  bond  of  chastity. 

Language,  The  French  language  is  the  most 
universally  diffused  of  any  in  the  courts  of  Europe ;  and  the 
consequence  is  felt  in  the  variety  and  extent  of  their  in- 
trigues. In  variety,  clearness,  and  precision,  and  idioms 
adapted  to  life,  business,  and  pleasure,  it  yields  to  no  mo- 
dern speech :  but  it  wants  force  and  dignity,  and  yet  more, 
sublimity.  The  French  language  is  a  well  known  cor- 
ruption of  the  Roman,  mingled  with  Celtic  and  Gothic 
words  and  idioms.  But  while  the  Italian  remains  the 
same  from  the  days  of  Dant^  and  Pctrarca,  through  a  lapse 
of  500  years,  the  epoch  of  classical  purity  of  the  French 
language  commences  with  the  reign  of  Louis  XIV.  The 
recent  revolution  has  introduced  such  exuberance  of  new 
words  and  phrases,  that  a  neological  dictionary  is  required 
to  explain  them. 

Public  Schools.  The  state  of  education  in  all 

the  Catholic  countries  was  very  defective  till  the  Jesuits 
gave  great  attention  to  this  important  department ;  to 


ment ;  to 


FRANCE.  4, 

wi'!,M' J^  '*'^"'  *^'*:^''^'0"»  ^^^  l^een  solely  directed  they 
would  have  proved  a  most  useful  body  of  men  ^ 

At  the  time  when  this  relij^ious  order  was 'suppressed 
France  boasted  of  twenty-one  universities ;  in  the  north 
Douay,Caen,  Pans,  Rheims,  Nanci,  Strasburg;  in    the 
middle  provinces,  Nantes,  Angers,  Poitiers,  Orle^ins  Bom 
ges,  Dijon,  Besancon  ;  and  in  the  south,  Bour  S mx   Pai' 
Perpignan    Poulouse,  Montpellier,  Aix,  Oran^^  V  Ince' 
Of  these  the  Sorbonne  ef  Paris  was  th^  most^debruted 
but  It  shewed  an  irremediable  tendency  to  proloi  r.  H  ' 
re.^not  scholastic  theology.     The  academies  and  mtrav 
societies  were  computed  at  thirty-nine.     Those  of  plrL 
n  particular,  have  been  long  known  to  the  learned  woHd 
by  elegant  and  profound  volumes  of  dissertations  TS 
sciences,  and  on  the  Belles  Lettres.     Nor  have  nuWk:  hi 

thn-d  smaller  than  London:  and  thi  inhabitants  nrobablJ 

run  in"vaH:rr;c.t? u\Tr.;e\^.rs°™o';h:i'''^' 
earthquake  woul.1  be  peculiarly  destroctWe  and  m?  t  *" 
pletely  bury  the  city.  TmJu^Ts:C^,':^^^^°!^i: 
quays,  and  the  public  buildings  are  not  onFy  SaM^^ 
themselves,  but  are  placed  in  ot«n  and  commindini  skua 

Sodei.'-L^i^rrd^^Thr^^^^^^^^^^^ 

now  the  Pantheon,  is  also  deserveSrv  o  i    •    '^^ 
Pas.n|ers   .o„|y  ^^'p^Sl^^  ^J.^. 


^P"^ 


86 


FRANCE. 


I 

I 


ment  to  the  middle  and  lower  classes  of  men.  The  revo- 
lution and  its  consequent  rapine  have  enlarged  and  adorned 
the  public  collections  ;  and,  by  enriching  numerous  indivi- 
duals, has  enabled  them  to  increase  their  favourite  city  with 
new  and  beautiful  streets  and  squares. 

Next  to  Paris  in  extent  and  population  was  the  noble 
city  of  Lyons,  which  was  supposed  to  contain  about  100,000 
souls.  As  the  chief  manufactures  were  articles  of  luxury, 
silk,  cloths  of  gold,  and  silver,  &c.  it  was  natural  that  this 
venerable  town  should  be  firmly  attached  to  the  ancient 
aristocracy,  though  with  consequences  incalculably  fatal  to 
its  prosperity.  During  the  infatuated  reign  of  the  jacobins 
it  was  Uc^sieged,  captured,  and,  after  the  wildest  and  basest 
massacres,  was  doomed  to  final  demolition.  But  as  there 
are  boun  is  even  to  rage  and  folly,  this  decree  was  only 
executed  in  nart.  Though  Lyons  will  probably  never  re- 
cover its  ancient  extent  and  opulence. 

The  third  and  fourth  cities  of  France  are  Marseilles  and 
Bourdeaux;  each  peopled  by  about  80,000  souls.  The 
foundation  of  Marseilles  has  been  already  mentioned,  and 
the  city  remains  worthy  of  its  ancient  fame,  the  port  being 
at  the  same  time  one  of  the  best  and  most  frequented  in 
the  whole  Mediterranean.  The  exchang*  is  a  noble  build- 
ing, and  the  new  parts  of  the  city  are  beautiful. 

Bourdeaux  was  a  prosperous  city,  but  the  trade  must 
have  suffered  great  injury.  The  port  is  ample  and  com- 
modious, with  extensive  quays.  The  chief  exports  are 
wine  and  brandy,  particularly  the  vinde  Bourdeaux,  which 
we  term  claret,  because  it  is  of  a  clear  and  transparent  red, 
while  tent  and  some  other  wines  are  opake. 

Edifices.  Several  of  the  most  noble  edifices  of 
France  are  in  Paris,  and  its  vicinity.  To  those  already 
mentioned  must  be  added,  the  palace  of  Versailles,  rather 
remarkable,  htowever,  for  the  profusion  of  expence,  than 
for  the  skill  of  the  architect;  the  parts  being  small  and 
unharmonious,  and  the  general  effect  rather  idle  pomp  than 
true  erandeur.  The  bridge  of  Neuille  is  esteemed  the 
most  beautiful  in  Europe,  consisting  of  five  wide  arches  of 
equal  size.  The  ancient  cathedrals  and  castles  are  nume- 
rous, but  the  latter  are  by  no  means  conspicuous  tor  their 

elecance  or  taste.  ,,,,     •  i     j        •     *•  «  «f 

Inland  Navigation.         The  inland  navigation  of 

France  has  been  promoted  by  several  capital  exertions. 


FRANCE. 


sr 


The  canal  of  Briare,  otherwise  styled  that  of  Burgundy, 
opens  a  communication  between  the  Loire  and  the  Seine, 
or  in  other  words  bet.vcen  Paris  and  the  western  provinces. 
Passing  by  Montargis  it  joins  the  canal  of  Orleans,  and 
falls  into  the  Seine  near  Fontainbleau. 

The  canal  of  Picardy  extends  from  the  Somme  to  the 
pise,  beginning  at  St.  Quintin,  and  forming  a  convenient 
mtercourse  to  the  provinces  in  the  N.  E. 

But  the  chief  work  of  this  description  is  the  celebrated 
canal  of  I^anguedoc,  commenced  and  completed  in  the 
reign  of  Louis  XIV.  under  the  auspices  of  that  able  mi- 
nister Colbert.  Fifteen  years  of  labour  were  employed, 
from  1 666  to  1 68 1 .  This  noble  canal  begins  in  the  bay  of 
Languedoc  ;  and  at  St.  Ferriol  is  a  reservoir  of  595  acres 
of  water ;  it  enters  the  Garonne  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
below  the  city  of  Toulouse.  The  breadth,  including  the 
towmg  paths,  is  144  feet;  the  depth  six  feet;  the  lenclh 
64  French  leagues,  or  about  1 80  miles.  The  expence  was 
about  half  a  million  sterling. 

Manufactures  and  Commerce.  The  articles 
of  commerce  in  France,  are  its  wines,  brandy,  vinegar, 
truits,  as  prunes,  prunellos,  dried  grapes,  pears,  apples, 
oranges,  and  olives;  drugs,  oils,  and  chymical  prepara- 
tions ;  silks,  embroidery,  tapestry,  cambrics,  lawns,  laces, 
brocades,  and  woollens,  in  imitation  of  the  English ;  paper, 
parchment,  and  toys.  ^       »  F  F^i, 

From  this  detail  some  idea  may  be  formed  of  the  com- 
merce of  France.  By  the  account  of  1 784,  which  did  not 
include  Lorain  or  Alsace,  nor  the  West  India  trade. 

Total  Exports  were  307,151,700  livres. 
Imports  271,365,000 


Balance 


35,786,700,  or  1,565,668/.  sterling. 

agaTns't  Frate''^'''  '''"  ^'''  ^"^^"  ^"'^  "  ^^^^^  ^^'^"^^ 

In  the  year  1 788,  the  average  >  ,  _ 
Imports  of  France  were  about     J  '2,500,000/.  sterling 
Exports,  nearly,  15,000,000 

In  the  same  year  } 

Imports  of  Great  Britain  were     k  ^^'°^^'0<^0 
Exports,  ditto.  17,500,000 


88 


FRANCE. 


Since  the  beginning  of  the  French  revolution  the  coni^ 
merce  of  England  has  been  constantly  increasing— .while 
that  of  her  envious  rival  has  been  almost  annihilated. 

Climate  and  Seasons.  The  climate  of  so  ex- 
tensive a  country  as  France,  may  be  expected  to  be  various. 
In  general  it  is  far  more  clear  ahd  serine  than  that  of 
England ;  but  the  northern  provinces  are  exposed  to  heavy 
rains,  which  however  produce  beautiful  verdure  and  rich 
pastures.  France  may  be  divided  into  three  climates,  the 
northern,  the  central,  and  the  southern.  The  first  yields 
no  wines  ;  the  second  no  maize ;  the  third  produces  wines, 
muize  and  olives.  These  divisions  proceed  in  an  oblique 
line  from  the  S.  W.  to  the  N.  E.  so  as  to  demonstrate 
"  that  the  eastern  part  of  the  kingdom  is  two  and  a  half  de- 
grees of  latitude  hotter  than  the  western,  or'  if  not  hotter 
move  favourable  to  vegetation." 

Soil  and  Agriculture.  The  variations  of  the 
soil  are  very  considerable.  The  N.  E.  part  from  Flanders 
to  Orleans  is  a  rich  loam.  Further  to  the  W.  the  land 
is  poor  and  stony ;  Brittany  gravel,  or  gravelly  sand,  with 
low  ridges  of  granite.  The  chalk  runs  through  the  centre 
of  the  kingdom,  from  (jermany  by  Champagne  to  Sain- 
tonge;  and  on  the  N.  of  the  mountainous  tract  is  a  large 
extent  of  gravel,  but  even  the  mountainous  region  of  the 
south  is  generally  fertile,  though  the  large  province  for- 
merly called  Gascony  presents  many  level  heaths. 

The  defects  of  French  agriculture,  consist  in  frequent 
fallows,  while  the  English  farmer  obtains  even  superior 
crops  of  corn,  by  substituting  turnips  and  other  green  crops 
to  the  fallows ;  besides  the  clear  profit  from  his  clover,  tur- 
nips or  tares. 

In  some  of  the  provinces,  however,  the  plans  of  agricul- 
ture correspond  with  the  natural  fertility  of  the  soil ;  and 
others  display  a  most  laudable  industry.  There  is  a  re- 
markable instance  exhibited  in  the  barren  mountains  of  the 
Cevenncs.  As  the  waters  which  run  down  the  sides  carry 
considerable  quantities  of  earth  into  the  ravines,  walls  of 
loose  stones  are  erected  which  permit  the  waters  to  pass 
when  they  are  clear ;  but  when  turbid  their  load  of  earth 
is  gradually  deposited  against  the  wall,  and  affords  a  space 
of  fertile  soil.  Successive  ramparts  are  thus  erected  to  the 
very  top  of  the  mountain  ;  and  the  water,  having  no  longer 
a  violent  fall,  only  serves  to  nourish  the  crops,  which  are 


FRANCE. 


89 


moreover  protected  by  planting  fruit  trees  at  certain  inter- 
vals, so  as  to  lend  security  and  consistence  to  the  new 
acquisition. 

Rivers.  Among  the  rivers  of  France  four  are  most 
eminent;  the  Seine*  the  Loire,  the  Rhone,  and  the  Ga- 
ronne.  The  first  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  streams  of 
1'  ranee :  rismg  m  the  department  of  C6te  D'Or,  it  pursues 
Its  course  to  the  N.  W.  till  it  enters  the  English  channel  at 
Havre  de  Grace,  after  a  course  of  about  250  English  miles. 

1  he  Loire  derives  its  source  from  Mont  Gerbier  in  the 
JV.  ot  ancient  Languedoc;  and  after  a  northern  course  turns 
to  the  west,entenng  the  ocean  a  considerable  way  beyond 
JNantes,  after  a  course  of  about  500  miles. 

The  Rhone  springs  from  the  Glacier  of  Furca,  near  the 
mountain  of  Grimsel  in  Swisserland ;  and  after  passing  the 
beautiful  vales  of  the  Vallais,  and  the  lake  of  Geneva,  bends 
Its  course  towards  the  south,  and  enters  the  Mediterranean. 
1  ne  comparative  course  400  miles. 

The  Garonne  rises  in  the  vale  of  Arau  in  the  Pyrenees. 

K  .?".'^^  .?^  ^^'^  T^**  '^  generally  N.  W.  It  extends  to 
about  250  miles.  After  its  junction  with  the  Dordogne,  it 
assumes  the  name  of  the  Gironde,  which  gave  its  distinc- 
tive appellation  to  a  faction  that  fell  under  the  axe  of  Ro- 
bespierre. 

The  principal  mountains  of  France  are  in  its  southern 
departments. 

hPtw^l"V"''^'  ^  ^^"?"^»•^  of  the  Alps,  forms  a  boundary 
between  France  and  Swisserland.  If  Mont  Blanc  be  ad- 
mitted among  the  French  mountains,  the  other  Alps  can- 
nlu^llVT^"^^  elevation.    The  ancient  province  of 

tlnS^K  ^?^^^^^  '^'^'''"^^  ^^P^"^  branches,  which  also  ex- 
tend through  great  part  of  Provence. 

The  grand  chain  of  the  Cevennes  seems  to  run  from  N 
to  b.  and  to  send  out  branches  towards  the  E.  and  W 
The  northern  part  of  the  chain  is  styled  the  Puy  de  Dome! 
w^e  the  southern  is  called  that  of  Cantal.      The  Moms 

Frlnc^^it'  rT;  ""^.  "''^  '""^  ^'^»^^^^  ™«""tains  n 
.1^^  :    -P^  ch'ef  elevation  is  that  of  the  Puy  de  Sanfi 

village  on  the  slope  of  one  of  the^  ^m^l^Z^^^^ 


90 


FRANCE. 


overwhelmed,  the  whole  mountain  with  its  basaltic  columns, 
rolling  into  the  valley.  The  inliabitants  were  fortunately 
en;ia.;yed  in  the  celebration  of  midsummer  eve,  around  a 
bonfire  at  some  distance  from  the  mountain. 

The  FyrenersVemain  to  be  described.  I'o  the  surprise 
of  naturalists,  they  have  been  found  to  present  calcareous 
appearances,  and  even  shells  and  skeletons  of  animals,  near 
or  upon  their  highest  summits,  which  are  in  the  centre  of 
the  chain.  Mont  Perdu  is  considered  as  the  highest  ele- 
vation of  the  Pyrenees,  ascending  above  the  sea  1751 
French  toises,  or  about  11,000  feet  English.  The  Py- 
renean  chain  appears  at  a  distance  like  a  shaggy  ridge, 
presenting  the  segment  of  a  circle  fronting  France,  and 
descending  at  each  extremity  till  it  disappears  in  the  ocean 
and  Mediterranean. 

Perdu  is  of  very  difficult  access,  as  the  calcareous  rock 
often  assumes  the  form  of  perpendicular  walls,  from  1 00 
to  600  feet  in  height ;  and  the  snows,  ice,  and  glaciers,  en- 
crease  the  difficulty.  Near  the  summit  is  a  considerable 
lake,  more  than  9000  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  which 
throws  its  waters  to  the  east  into  the  Spanish  valley  of 
Beoussa. 

Vegetable  and  Animal  Productions.  So 
great  indeed  is  the  extent  and  so  various  the  climate  of 
I'rance  that  probably  more  than  iialf  the  European  species 
of  plants  may  be  found  within  its  boundaries.  That  coun- 
try which  produces  in  full  and  equal  perfection  wheat  and 
apples,  maize,  and  grapes,  oranges  and  olives,  the  oak  and 
the  myrtle,  must  doubtless  exceed  all  other  European 
countries  of  equal  extent  in  the  variety  and  richness  of  its 
vegetable  treasures ;  but  a  bare  enumeration  of  them  would 
occupy  more  room  than  can  be  allotted  to  them  in  a  work 
like  the  present. 

The  horses  of  France  do  not  appear  to  have  been  cele- 
brated at  any  period ;  and  it  is  well  known  that  the  ancient 
monarchs  were  drawn  to  the  national  assemblies  by  oxen. 
Many  English  horses  are  in  times  of  peace  imported  for 
the  coach  and  the  saddle.  The  best  native  horses  for 
draught,  are  those  of  Normandy ;  for  the  saddle,  those  of 
the  Ljimo5in,  which  have  been  recently  improved  by  cross- 
ing the  breetl  with  the  Arabian,  Turkish,  and  English. 
But  the  greater  number  of  horses  in  France  consists  of  Bi- 
dets, small  animals  of  little  show,  but  great  utility.     The 


FRANCE. 


91 


cattle  of  Limoges,  and  some  other  provinces,  are  of  a  beaii- 
titul  cream  colour.  The  sheep  are  ill  managed,  havine  in 
winter  only  straw,  instead  of  green  food  as  in  England.  The 
consequences  are  poor  fleeces,  and  rarity  of  sheep,  so  that 
the  poor  are  forced  to  eat  bread  only,  and  Jarge  quantities 
ot  wool  are  imported.  Oi  ferocious  animals  the  most  re- 
niarkable  are  the  wild  boar  and  the  wolf;  the  ibex  and 
chamois,  are  found  on  the  Pyrenees  and  the  Alps 

Minerals.  Gold  mines  anciently  existed  in  the 
S.  of  France,  and  some  of  the  rivulets  still  roll  down  par- 
ticles of  that  metal.  France  can  also^boast  of  the  silver 
mines  at  St.  Marie-aux-Mines  in  Alsace,  and  elsewhere. 
1  he  same  as  well  as  other  districts  contain  mines  of  cop- 
per.  The  Duchy  of  Deux  I'onts,  one  of  the  fraternized 
acquisitions  of  Trance  on  the  west  of  the  Khine,  is  cele- 
brated for  mmes  of  quicksilver.  The  annual  product  of 
these  mines  may  be  estimated  at  67,200  pounds  of  mercu- 
ry.  1  wo-thirds  of  the  lead  of  France  are  from  Bretagne, 
particularly  the  mines  of  Poullaouen  and  Huelgoet 

Iron,  that  most  important  and  universal  of  metals,  is 
found  m  abundance,  particularly  in  some  of  the  northern 
departments.  In  1798  it  was  computed  that  there  were 
2000  furnaces,  forges,  &c.  for  the  working  of  iron  and  steel 
1  he  coal  mmes  ot  France  were  at  the  same  time  esti- 
mated  at  400,  constantly  wrought ;  and  200  more  capable  . 
ol  being  wrought.  Nearly  allied  to  coal  is  jet,  an  article 
formerly  of  great  consumption,  chiefly  in  Spain,  where  it 
was  made  into  rosaries,  crosses,  buttons  for  black  dresses, 

Natural  Curiosities.        Among the'natural  curi- 
osities of  France    the  most  worthy  of  notice  is  the  plain  of 

oltheHhone.     This  is  the  most  sin R:ular  stony  desert  that 
IS  to  be  found  m  France,  or  perhaps  in  Europe.     The  da 
meter  IS  about  five  leagues,  ind  the  contents  from  20  to  25 
square  leagues,  or  about  1 50,000  English  acres 

French  Isles.  The  isles  around  France  are  so 
small,  and  unimportant,  that  they  would  scarcely  be  de^ 
serving  of  notice,  were  it  not  for  events  that  have  taken 
place  during  the  late  war.  The  isle  of  Corsica  must  how 
ever  be  excepted,  as  it  gave  birth  to  Napoleon  rnapa^e' 
a  mihtary  adventurer,  and  now  emperor  of  France  ' 


93 


I'RANCE. 


The  IslcR  called  Myercs,  near  Toulon,  have  at  present 
a  buiTcn  and  nuked  uppcurunce,  and  only  present  nomc 
mclunchuiy  plncu.  Tiicy  however  contain  some  hotunic 
riches,  and  may  claim  the  fame  of  being  Homer's  isle  of 
Calypso. 

On  the  western  coast  first  occurs  the  isle  of  Oleron, 
fcbout  fourteen  miles  lonjy,  by  two  broad,  celebrated  lor  a 
code  of  maritime  lawH  issued  by  Kichurd  I.  kin^;  of  Eng- 
land. To  the  N.  is  the  isle  of  H6,  opposite  Kochelle, 
noted  for  nn  expedition  of  the  English  in  the  seventeenth 
century.  Ik'Uisle  has  been  repeatedly  attacked  by  the 
English:  it  is  ulmut  nine  miles  long  and  three  broad,  sur- 
rounded by  steep  rocks,  which,  with  the  fortifications, 
render  the  contiuest  diflicult.  The  isle  of  Ushant,  or 
Ouessant,  is  remarkable  as  the  furthest  headland  of  France, 
towaixis  the  wist,  licing  about  twelve  miles  from  the  conti- 
nent, and  about  nine  in  circumference,  with  several  ham- 
lets, and  about  600  inhabitants.  And  St.  Maixou,  held  by 
the  Dritish  during  the  lafr  t  war,  in  defiance  of  all  the  power 
of  the  great  nation,  alJ.hough  it  is  only  seven  miles  from 
their  ilioixs. 


NETHERLANDS. 


THOSE  provinces  of  the  Netherlands  which  were  for 
merly  subject  to  the  house  of  Austria,  have  bten  recently 
annexed  to  the  French  dominions  ;  and  this  fertile  territory 
may  probably  continue  to  be  united  to  France,  as  to  acquire 
It  was  one  reason  why  the  French  murdered  their  king 
and  queen,  and  established  a  republic. 

Names.  The  Netherlands  in  genera!  were  anci- 
ently known  by  the  name  of  BelM^ic  Gaul,  and  therefore  the 
French,  in  their  new-fangled  vocabulary,  call  them  re-united 
departments. 

ExTKNT.  The  length  of  the  Austrian  Netherlands, 
computed  from  the  eastern  limit  of  Luxembourg  to  Os- 
tcnd  on  the  ocean,  may  be  about  1 80  British  miles ;  and 
about  120  in  breadth,  from  the  northern  boundary  of  Aus- 
tiian  Brabant  to  the  most  southern  limit  x>f  1  [ainaut.  The 
extent  is  computed  at  7,520  square  miles,  with  a  population 
of  1,900,000. 

OiuGiNAi,  Population.  The  original  population 
was  Celtic  succeeded  by  the  Belgse,  and  afterwards  van- 
quished by  the  Franks. 

Historical  Epochs.  1.  The  events  while  the 

Romans  held  Gaul. 

2.  Under  the  Merovingian  race  of  French  kings. 

3.  The  ancient  earls  of  Flanders,  and  Hainaut,  and  other 
potentates  who  shared  these  territories. 

^\?'\^  ^"^^^  ^^  Burgundy.     During  these  two  epochs 
the  Netherlands  became  the  great  mart  of  commerce  in 


94 


KETHERLANDS. 


the  west  of  Europe,  and  were  distinguished  by  opulence 
and  the  arts. 

5.  The  Austrian  domination,  accompanied  with  repeated 
unsuccessful  struggles  for  freedom.  The  seven  United 
Provinces  having,  however,  established  their  liberty,  the 
commerce,  aid  prosperity  of  the  southern  regions  passed 
qiiickly  to  their  northern  neighbours. 

6.  Their  conquest  by  the  French  and  annexation  to  the 
territory  of  the  republic. 

Religion,  &c.  The  religion  of  the  Netherlands 
is  the  Roman  Catholic  ;  and  till  the  French  revolution,  the 
inhabitants  were  noted  for  their  bigotry.  The  metropoli- 
tan see  was  the  archbishopric  of  Mechlin,  or  Malines.  The 
bishoprics  were  those  of  Bruges,  Aptwerp,  Ghent,  &c.  in 
number  nine  or  ten.  The  government  and  laws  had  many 
features  of  freedom.  The  Joyeuae  Entree  was  the  magna 
chartaof  the  Netherlands,  a  constitutional  bond  of  national 
privileges,  which  the  inhabitants  foolishly  exchanged  for 
French  fraternity. 

Population,  &c.  The  population  being  computed 
at  1,900,000,  and  the  square  extent  at  7,520  ir/les,'  there 
will  be  252  inhabitakits  to  .the  square  mile,  while  France 
yields  only  174.  Under  the  Austrian  power,  the  revenue 
of  the  Netherlands  scar'iely  defrayed  the  expences  of  go- 
vernment, and  the  various  ex  tor  ions  of  the  French  rulers 
cannot  afford  any  sufficient  dat&  to  compute  an  equitable 
and  last'ng  revenue. 

Manners  and  Customs.  The  manners  and  cus- 
toms of  the  Netherlands  partake  of  those  of  theirneighbours, 
the  Dutch  and  French,  but  principally  of  the  latter,  which, 
together  with  the  common  use  of  the  French  language, 
paved  the  way  for  their  subjugation. 

P.  Schools.  The  education  was  neglected  as  in 
most  Catholic  countrLis.  The  universitief>,  which  in  no 
country  are  of  equal  importance  with  the  schools,  were, 
however,  numerous,  considering  the  extent  of  the  country. 
Exclusive  of  Tournay,(Dornick)  which  has  been  long  sub- 
ject to  the  French,  there  were  others  at  Douay,  and  St. 
Omer,  much  frequented  by  the  English  Catholics  ;  and 
one  of  still  greater  celebrity  at  Louvain,  founded  in  1425. 

what  were  called  the  Austrian  Netherlands,  are  Firussels, 
Chent,  and  Antwerp.     The  capital  city  of  Brussels  still 


NETHERLANDS. 


95 


contains  about  80,000  inhabitants,  and  is  beautified  by  a 
noble  square,  one  side  of  which  is  occupied  with  a  vast 
guildhall ;  and  by  numerous  churches  and  fountains.  The 
imperial  palace,  the  wonted  residence  of  the  governor  of 
the  iSletherlands,  displays  considerable  taste  and  maenifij 
C£nce.  *      J 

Ghent  contains  about  60,000  souls,  end  the  circumfer- 
ence of  the  walls  is  computed  at  15  miles,  as  it  is  built  on  a 
number  of  little  islands  formed  by  four  rivers,  and  many 
canals,  and  includes  gardens,  and  even  fields. 

The  inhabitants  f>f  Antwerp  are  computed  at  50,000,  the 
sad  remains  of  great  population  and  prosperity.  The  streets, 
houses,  and  churches,  are  worthy  of  the  ancient  fame  of 
the  city.  The  -exchange  is  said  to  have  afforded  the  pattern 
tor  that  of  London.  In  1 568  the  trade  is  supposed  to  have 
been  at  its  greatest  heip:ht;  and  the  number  of  inhabitants 
was  computed  at  200,000. 

EDiricEs.  In  general  it  may  be  observed,  that 
even  at  the  present  day,  every  traveller  is  impressed  with 
surprise,  not  only  at  the  number,  but  the  ureat  extent  of 
the  l"lemish  cities,  towns,  and  even  villages  ;  in  which  re- 
spect the  Netherlands  exceed  every  country  in  Europe, 
only  excepting  the  United  Provinces.  The  chief  edifices 
are  the  cathedrals,  churches  and  monasteries  ;  together 
with  a  few  castles  belonging  to  ancient  families,  or  rich 
merchants. 

Inland  Navigation.  •  Idle  would  be  the  attemot 
even  to  riumerate  the  canals  which  intersect  these  provin- 
ces m  a)i  directions.  Some  of  them  date  even  from  the 
tenth  century,  and  the  canal  from  Brussels  to  the  Scheld 
is  ot  the  sixteenih.  Other  important  canals  extend  from 
Ghent,  Antwerp,  Ostend,  and  other  cities  and  towns,  es- 
pecially m  the  western  districts. 

Manufactures  and  Commerce.  The  manu- 
factures and  commerce  of  the  Netherlands,  for  a  lonP  ne- 
riod  superior  to  any  in  the  west  of  Europe,  have  suffered 
a  ra<1ical  decline,  owing  partly  to  the  other  powers  enter- 
ing  into  competition  ;  and  partly  to  the  establishment  of 

arose  upon  the  ruins  of  Antwerp.  V/hat  little  commerce 
remams  is  chieflv  inland  to  (l.vLu^  .xlJl.^L?'^'^^^''^ 
inn.  .r^n.,  r  !•  ^    /5  '^"»- vAtciiiui  ciiipiov- 

ofln.  ?n  ""T.^  '^"'"^''  ^^^  ^^i^*'  manufactures  are 
offineimen,  and  laces,  at  Mechlin,  Brussels,  Ghent,  iC! 


96 


NETHERLANDS. 


werp,  Louvain)  which  still  enrich  the  country  around,  and 
induce  tlie  farmers  to  cultivate  flax,,  even  on  the  poorest 
soils. 

Climatk  and  Seasons,  &c.  The  -climate  of  the 
Netherlands  considerably  resembles  that  of  the  south  of 
England,  and  is  more  remarkable  for  moisture  than  for 
warmth;  yet  the  duchy  of  Luxembourg  produces  some 
wine.  The  soil  is  in  general  rich  sandy  loam,  sometimes 
interspersed  with  fields  of  clay,  but  more  often  with  hrge 
spaces  of  sand.  Such  has  been,  even  in  distant  ages,  the 
state  of  agriculture  that  the  Netherlands  were  long  esteem- 
ed the  very  garden  of  Europe,  a  praise  which  they  still 
share  with  Lombardy  and  England.  The  r-^peatcd  crops 
of  excellent  clover,  the  cole,  the  tisrnips,  the  clean  crops 
of  flax,  barley,  and  oats,  deservedly  attract  attention. 

Rivers.  The  Netherlands  are  watered  by  so  many 
rivers  and  canals,  that  it  will  be  sufficient  to  mention  only 
a  few  of  the  chief  streams.  The  chief  river  is  the  Scheld, 
which  receives  two  other  streams,  the  Lys,  and  the  Scalpe, 
the  latter  near  Mortagne,  the  former  near  Ghent.  All 
these  rivers  arise  in  the  county  of  Artois,  from  no  consi- 
derable elevation  ;  and  the  whole  course  of  the  Scheld,  or 
French  Escaut,  cannot  be  comparatively  estimated  at  above 
120  miles.  Most  of  the  other  rivers  yield  in  importance  to 
the  canals,  and  it  would  indeed  be  difficult  in  many  instances 
to  determine  whether  their  course  be  the  work  of  nature 
or  art. 

Mountains,  &c.  Though  there  be  little  ridges  of 
hills  in  the  counties  of  Namur  and  Luxembourg,  the  tra- 
veller must  proceed  to  the  distant  banks  of  the  Rhine  before 
he  meets  with  any  elevation  that  can  deserve  the  name  even 
of  a  small  mountain. 

Vegetable  and  Animal  Productions.  The 
vegetable  ^reductions  of  the  Catholic  Netherlands  differ  in 
no  respect  from  those  of  Holland,  and  almost  all  the  plants 
that  are  natives  of  this  country  may  be  met  w?.th  in  the  sandy 
and  marshy  districts  of  the  south-east  coast  of  England. 

The  breed  of  horses  and  cattle  is  esteemed  for  size  and 
strength. 

Minerals.  So  plain  a  country  cannot  be  supposed 
to  supply  many  minerals :  yet  coal,  perhaps  the  most  pre- 
cious of  them  all,  is  found  in  several  districts,  and  the 


NETHERLANDS.  ^f 

IHfn?"  f ^.K  ^  ^^^  ^'^""^^  ^^*  ^^^"  ^^«^ted  ih  an  improve- 

ZZ  ^Lh  '  T'*''°"''     '"  '^^  ^°""ty  °f  ^«^«r  are  also 
found  lead  and  copper;  and  Hainaut  affords  iron  and  slate 
From  Its  iron  works  Luxembourg  derives  its  chief  wedth  * 
and  the  forest  of  Ardennes  is  still  renowned  for  thrmetai 


Vol.  L 


RUSSIA  IN  EUROPE. 


Extent.  By  the  ifinal  partition  of  Poland,  European 
Russia  now  extends  from  the  river  Dniester  to  the  Ura- 
lian  mountains,  that  grand  chain  which  naturally  divides 
Europe  from  Asia ;  a  length  of  about  1 600  miles,  and  in 
breadth  above  1000  English  miles,  being  from  47®  to 
72®  north  latitude,  and  23°  to  65°  east  longitude.  The 
extent  is  computed  at  about  1,200,000  square  miles,  with 
17  inhabitants  to  each. 

Even  the  European  part  of  the  Russian  empire  embraces 
many  ancient  kingdoms  and  states ;  but  the  chief  name, 
that  of  Russia,  shall  only  be  considered. 

Origikal  Population,  The  grand  population 
of  the  European  part  of  the  Russian  empire  is  well  known 
to  be  Slavonic.  The  Slavons,  form  an  extensive  original 
race  of  mankind,  radically  distinct  from  the  Goths  on  the 
one  hand,  who,  as  possessing  the  countries  more  to  the 
west,  must  have  preceded  the  Slavons  in  their  passage  flPom 
Asia  into  Europe  ;  and  equally  distinguishable  in  language, 
person,  and  manners,  from  the  Tatars,  and  other  nations 
on  the  east.  They  are  the  SamtiataB  of  the  ancients,  and 
were  ever  remarkable  for  personal  elegance  and  strength. 

Civil  Divisions.  The  principal  sub-divisions  of 
European  Russia  are  into  military  governments ;  which, 
though  they  are  often  changing,  and  are  seldom  mentioned 
by  any  except  native  geographers,  it  has  not  been  thought 
right  entirely  to  omit. 


RUSSIA  IN  EUROPE.  99 

cf..I°?^  ^^""^^  'I  ^^^  extensive  government  of  Archangel, 
stretching  from  the  borders  of  Sweden  to  the  confines  of 
Asia/  South  of  this,  along  the  Asiatic  frontier  are  the 
governments  of  Vologda,  Perm,  Viatka  Kazan,  Simbirsk! 

mg  the  other  m  a  regular  progress  to  the  sea  of  Azof  The 
government  of  Ecaterinoslav,  5ith  the  kingdom  of  Taur  da^ 
18  the  southernmost  province,  and  contains  Little  Tatary 

Tx  end  th'f '"'  •^"•^""'V'  ^^^"^  '^^  Turks.     On  the  wes 
extend  the  acquisitions  by  the  division  of  Poland      The 
governments  of  Riga,  R^vel,    Petersburg,  and    Vibort 
are  situated  along  the  Gulfs  of  Riga  and  Finland?  aifd 
^e  government  of  Olonetz  on  the  Swedish  frontier  com 

fn^Nov'^rd^T  ^^^'^'^^^^  provinces  are  the  fonow- 
mg    Novgorod,  Tver,  Kostroma,  and  Yaroslavl,  for  tho 

Pskov^SmJj  '"t  ""r'  '''''r''''  '"^^  Volga;  pSotsk! 
Mo^hJl.  ^^"^^*  ^^'^"^'  Vladimir,  Nizney-Novgorod 

S  Or;i^'°"^*'/**"i?»  ^^""^"'  Tambov,  Penza,^Sim. 
birsk,Orel,  Sieverskov,  Tchernigov,  Koursk,  Kiev,  Char 
kov,  Voronetz,  principally  to  the  west  of  thTvoiga 

be  th.  H^f^'-^'f ''  Epochs.  The  following  appear  to 

be  the  chief  historical  epochs  of  this  mighty  empire : 

aboTe  roo  yi^s  ^'"  descendants  held  the  sceptre 

^t^^Jirll^St^tS:^;^^  ^-^-^  ^^'--  ^on- 
anH'ti"/^";  "^""^  ''^"^'''y  *^^  »^^Ptism  of  Olga  the  queen 
tianity     '"'"'^""^'  '°"^'"'^^«"  ^^  ^^^  «"-^ns  toSTs.' 

o«i;  J^^,^"^^^^°"  ^^^^^  Tatars  under  Batu  Khan  in  12-?^ 
and  the  subsequent  vassalage  of  Russia  ^^'' 

who  dTed'if  S"  '''''  ^'"'^  "^^'^  '^^^^^^  ^y  I^-n  "I- 

rauraered  brother  ol  this  sovereign"; "'  """""'"'>  "'« 

a.   ^  be  accession  of  the  dvna.tu^  «f  o 
the  person  of  Michael  vL7      ^  ""^  Romanow,  1613,  in 
01  Michael  I eodorowitz,  sprung  in  the  female 


100 


RUSSIA  IN  EUROPE. 


line  from  Ivan  IV.     He  was  followed  by  his  son  Alexi5> 
father  of  Peter  the  Great. 

9.  The  reign  of  Peter  I.  has  been  justly  considered  as  a 
most  important  epoch  in  Russian  history ;  but  on  reading 
the  annals  of  iht  preceding  reigns  from  that  of  Ivan  IV.  it 
will  be  perceived  that  a  part  of  our  admiration  for  Peter 
arises  from  our  inattention  to  his  predecessors,  and  that 
the  Ught  which  he  diffused  was  far  from  being  so  suddeft 
and  grand  as  is  commonly  imagined. 

10.  The  late  reign  of  Catharine  II.  deserves  to  be  com- 
memorated among  the  most  brilliant  epochs  in  the  Russian 
annals;  nor  must  her  personal  crimes  exclude  her  from 
the  list  of  great  and  able  sovereigns. 

AKTiquiTiEs.  Of  ancient  monuments  Russia  can- 
not be  supposed  to  afford  great  variety.  Sometimes  the 
tombs  of  their  pagan  ancestors  are  discovered,  containing 
weapons  and  ornankcnts.  The  catacombs  at  Kiow  were 
perhaps  formed  in  the  Pagan  period,  though  they  be  now 
replete  with  marks  of  Christianity.  They  are  labyrinths 
of  considerable  extent,  dug  through  a  mass  of  hardened 
clay,  but  they  do  not  seem  to  contain  the  bodies  of  the 
monarchs. 

Religion.  The  religion  of  Russia  is  that  of  the 
Greek  church,  of  which,  since  the  fall  of  the  Byzantine 
empire,  this  state  may  be  considered  as  the  chief  source 
and  power. 

Government.  The  government  of  Russia  ap- 
pears to  have  been  always  despotic,  there  being  no  legisla- 
tive power  distinct  from  that  of  the  sovereign.  What  is 
called  the  senate  is  only  the  supreme  court  of  judicature. 
The  whole  frame  of  the  government  may  be  pronounced 
to  be  military  ;  and  nobility  itself  is  only  virtually  estimated 
by  rank  in  the  army.  The  first  Russian  code  dates  from 
the  reign  of  Ivan  IV.  and  the  late  empress  had  the  merit 
of  drawing  up  a  new  code  with  her  own  hands. 

Population.  The  population  of  Russia  is  so  dif- 
fuse, and  spread  over  so  wide  an  extent  of  territory,  that  very 
opposite  opinions  have  been  entertained  concerning  it. 

The  following  account,  according  to  Mr.  Tooke,  presents 
the  whole  population  of  the  empire  in  1 799 : 

By  the  revision  of  1783  there  were  in  the  "j 
governments,  computing  the  female  sex  as  V  25,677,000 
equal  to  the  male,  of  registered  persons,       J 


M 


I* 


RUSSIA  IN  EUROPE.  loi 

The  amount  of  the  Kozaks  of  the  Don  and  >      «„^  ^_ 
the  Luxine,  f      220,000 

For  the  numbered  tribes  and  classes,  at  the  ?    . 
timeofthe  fourth  revision,  f    1,500,000 

Consequently  the  Russian  empire,  in  theT 
ahr>-e\her'™'^^'  ^^^^  inhabitants  amounting  [.27,397,000 

Natural  increase  since  1783,  ^    3,000,000 

1  he  new  acquisitions  since  the  year  1783,  > 
contain,  according  to  a  legitimated  statement  C    ^,755,000 

Consequently  we  may  admit,  by*  the  mostl 
moderate   estimate,  the   population  of  the  136,755,000 
Russian  empire  at  present  to  be  f 

Of  this  population  Mr,  Tooke  assigns  only  about  three 
millions  and  a  half  to  Siberia,  or  Asiatic  Russia,  so  that 

tTo^of&p^t'L^^^^^^  '""  ''''''^'''  ^°''  ^^^  p^p"^- 

ofth^R^/;;.«*^''''^'''°''^  estimates  the  whole  amount 
Se'ete^^^^^^^^  '' ^"^'^^  500,000  may 

tached  flll;«      Ju^  ?"?i^"  "^''J'  '^^''^'^'^  o^  several  de- 
tdched  fleets.     The  chief  fleet  is  that  of  the  Baltic,  which 

^uxme,  or  Black  sea,  at  the  harbours  of  Sevastopol  and 

^f  a  h?l''^"^""P"J'^."'  '^^'^^  ^^»P«  <>f  the  line,^but  not 
of  a  high  rate,  as  the  Euxine  affords  no  great  denth  of 

gutEoa  s"'    tT  rrr  li"^^^^^'  galliesfcreUcCan^J 

to  ^  nfn!^nf  r'^l  .  ^^'^  revenues  of  Russia  are  supposed 
tL^nT  1%''''°"*.  50  000,000  of  rubles  ;  which,  valuing 
s  erUn^     ^,^o^\^^^^^in.p.  will  be  equal  to  10,000,00of 

or  nmSng  °"'*  '^'^' ''  '""^^'"'^  ^°  ^"^°""'  t«^i«le 

Political  Importance,  &c.         With  all  thesp  aH 
reTS  of  Xr'^^'  ^'^^  ^'^^  politiclTimVor^^^^^^^^^^ 
Asil      In  V  ^  ^'^  '*"  preponderant  in   Europe  and 

^utei  to  renderTer'''    ''''"f    acquisitions    have  contri- 
has  he.n  H  r  'J^°''^  ^"^  "^"^'e  formidable.     Poland 

has  been  devoured  ;  Denmark  and   SweH.p  «,.„  »>— r 

1  « 


102 


RUSSIA  IN  EUROPE. 


would  be  more  usefully  employed  agjainst  the  ambitious 
strides  of  France.  Her  friendship  is  of  peculiar  import- 
ance to  the  British  empire,  in  peace,  as  well  as  war. 

Manners  and  Customs.  As  the  Russian  empire 
comprises  so  many  distinct  races  of  men,  the  manners  of 
course  must  be  very  various. 

The  Slavonic  Russians,  who  constitute  the  chief  mass 
and  soul  of  this  empire,  are  generally  middle  sized  and 
vigorous :  thetallness  and  grace  of  the  Polish  Slavons  seem 
to  arise  from  superior  climate  and  soil.     The  general  phy- 
siognomy consists  of  a"  small  mouth,  thin  lips,  white  teeth, 
small  eyes,  a  low  forehead,  the  nose  commonly  small,  and 
turned  upwards,  beard  very  bushy,  hair  generally  reddish. 
The  expression  of  the  countenance  is  gravity,  with  good 
nature,  or  sagacity ;  the  gait  and  gestures  lively  and  im- 
passioned.    The  Russian  is  extremely  patient  of  hunger 
and  thirst ;  and  his  cure  for  all  diseases  is  the  warm  bath, 
or  rather  vapour  bath,  in  which  the  heat  is  above   100'  of 
Farenheit's  thermometer.       When  a  ma-riage   is  pro- 
posed, the  lover,  accompanied  by  a  friend,  goes  to  the 
house  of  the  bride,  and  says  to  her  mother,  "  shew  us 
your  merchandize,  we  have  got  money,"  an  expression 
which  is  thought  to  refer  to  the  ancient  custom  of  buying 
a  wife.     The  Russians  shew  great  attention  to  their  nurses, 
and  are  so  hospitable  that  they  offer  to  every  stranger  the 
Khkh  da  sol,  or  bread  and  salt,  the  symbol  of  food,  lodging, 
and  protection.     In  several  instances  the  Russians  form  a 
curious  junction  of  European  and  Asiatic  manners  ;  many 
of  their  ceremonies  partake  of  Asiatic  splendour  ;  the  great 
are  fond  of  dwarfs  ;  and  some  opulent  ladies  maintain  fe- 
male tellers  of  tales,  whose  occupation  is  to  lull  their  mis- 
tresses asleep,  by  stories  resembling  those  of  the  Arabian 

Nights.  , 

Language.  The  Russian  lanc^uage  is  extremely 
difficult  to  pronounce,  and  not  less  difficult  to  acquire,  as 
it  abounds  with  extraordinary  sounds,  and  anomalies  of 
every  kind.  The  characters  amount  to  no  less  than  thirty- 
six  ;  and  the  common  sounds  are  sometimes  expressed  m 
the  Greek  characters,  sometimes  in  characters  quite  unlike 
those  of  any  other  language.  Among  other  singularities 
there  is  one  letter  to  express  the  sch,  and  another  the  .«c7;, 
the  latter  a  sound  hardly  pronounceable  by  any  human 
mouth. 


1^^ 


ibitious 
mport- 

empire 
nera  of 

f  mass 
;ed  and 
13  seem 
ral  phy- 
e  teeth, 
tall,  and 
reddish. 
Lh  good 
and  im- 
hunger 
m  bath, 
100®  of 
is  pro- 
i  to  the 
jhew  us 
pression 
F  buying 
:  nurses, 
iger  the 
lodging, 
s  form  a 
3 ;  many 
:he  great 
ntain  fe- 
leir  mis- 
Arabian 

^tremely 
quire,  as 
iialies  of 
in  thirty- 
ressed  in 
ite  unlike 
;ularities 
the  .«c/t, 
y  human 


RUSSIA  IN  EUROPE. 


103 


,.«.  ^^^^'*^  Schools.  Education  is  little  known  or 
diffused  m  Russm,  though  the  court  have  instituted  acade- 
mies  for  the  instruction  of  officers  and  artists. 

The  university  of  Petersburg,  founded  by  the  late  em- 
press Cathanne  JI.  is  a  noble  instance  of  munificence,  and 
It  IS  hoped  will  escape  the  fate  of  the  colleges,  founded  at 
Moscow,  by  Peter  the  Great,  v/hich  do  not  seem  to  have 
met  with  the  deserved  success. 

Cities  and    Towns.         In   considering  the   chief 
cities  and  touns  of  Russia,  Moscow,  the  ancient  capital, 
attracts  the  first  attention.     This  city  dates  from  the  yc^r 
1300,  and  prior  to  the  pestilence. of  1771,  the  houses  in 
Moscow  were  computed  at  12,538,  and  the  population  at 
not  less  than  200,000.  Moscow  is  built  in  the  Asiatic  man- 
ner,  m  which  cities  cover  a  vast  space  of  ground     Peters- 
burg, the  imperial  residence,  is  said  to  contain    170,000 
mhubitants  ;  and  is  the  well  known,  but  surprising  erection 
ot  the  last  century.     It  stands  in  a  marshy  situation  on  the 
river  Neva,  the  houses  bein,-  chiefly  of  wood,     ihe  stone 
buildniRs  are  few ;  and  Petersburg  is  more  distinguished 
by  Its  fame,  than  by  its  appearance  or  opulence,     'i  he 
noblest  public  works  are  the  quays  builtof  perpetual  }>  ranite 
Astracan  is  supposed  to  stand  next  to  Petersburgh  in  po- 
pulation.    This  city,  near  the  mouth  of  the  vast  river  \'ol- 
ga,  vyas  the  capital  of  the  Tatar  kingdom  of  Capshak:  but 
the  churches  are  chiefly  of  brick,  and  the  houses  of  wood 
I  he  population  is  computed  at  70,000.  Cronstadt,  and  Kol- 
Iqnna,  are  supposed  each  to  contain  about  60,000  inhabitants 
Cherson,  and  Caffa,  are  said  each  to  contain  20,000  •  while 
50,000  are  ascribed  to  Tula,  and  27,000  to  Riga,  a  city  of 
considerable  trade  and  consequence. 

Inland  Navigation.  The  inland  navigation  of 
Kussia  deserves  more  attention.  Among  other  laudable  im- 
provements. Teeter  the  Great  formed  the  design  of  esta- 
blishing an  intei-course  by  water  between  Petersburph  and 
Persia,  by  the  Caspian  sea,  the  Volj^a,  the  Mesta,  and  the 
lake  of  Novgorod,  &c.  but  this  scheme  failed  by  the  ignor- 
ance  of  tke  engineers.  During  the  long  reign  of  the  late 
empress  many  canals  were  accomplished,  or  at  least  rl! 

TSltr'  l'^^'''7^r^9'l''  '}'^'  th«  <^hief  honour  must  be 
...v...v.d  «,  ucr  uuministration.  1  he  celebrated  canal  of 
Vishnei  Voloshok  was  in  some  shap.  completed  byTe  e/ 
so  as  to  form  a  communication  betwee-  Jtracan  and  Pe-' 


104 


RUSSIA  IN  EUROPE. 


tersburg.  The  navigation  is  performed  according  to  the 
season  of  the  year,  in  from  a  fortnight  to  a  month,  and  it  is 
supposed  that  near  4000  vessels  pass  annually. 

The  canal  of  Ladoga,  extends  from  the  river  Volk  to  the 
Neva,  a  space  of  674  miles,  and  communicates  v^ith  the 
former  canal.  By  these  two  important  canals  constant  in- 
tercouise  is  maintained  between  the  northern  and  southern 
extremities  of  the  empire.  Another  canal  leads  from  Mos- 
cow to  the  river  Don,  forming  a  communication  with  the 
Euxine  ;  and  the  canal  of  Cronstradt  forms  a  fourth. 

Manufactures  and  Commerce.  By  these  means 
the  inland  trade  of  Jtussia  has  attained  considerable  prospe- 
rity :  and  the  value  of  her  exports  and  imports  have  been 
long  upon  the  increase.  Several  manufactures  are  conducted 
with  considerable  spirit.  Thatof  isinglass^andkaviarare  in 
a  flourislung  state.  The  manufactories  of  oil  and  soap  are 
also  considerable  ;  and  Petersburg  exports  great  quantities 
of  candles,  besides  tallow,  which  abounds  in  an  empire  so 
well  replenished  with  pasturage.  Salt-petre  is  an  imperial 
traffic,  and  some  suj^ar  is  refined  at  Petersburg.  There 
are  several  manufactures  of  paper  and  tobacco,  linen,  cot- 
ton, and  silk  :  leather  has  long  been  a  staple  commodity. 

Russia  produces  vast  quantities  of  wax.  Iron  founderies 
abound  ;  and  in  the  northern  government  of  Olonetz  is  a 
grand  foundery  of  cannon. 

Russia  is  supposed  to  export  by  the  Baltic  grain  annually 
to  the  value  of  170,000/.  and  hemp  and  flax,  raw,  and  ma- 
nufactured to  the  amount  of  a  million  and  a  half  sterling. 

The  Commerce  of  the  Caspian  sea  is  computed  at 
1,000,000  of  rubles,  or  200,000/.  That  of  the  Euxine  is 
not  above  one-third  of  this  value.  That  with  Cbina  about 
2,000,000  of  rubles.  Russia  exchanges  her  precious  Si- 
berian furs  for  tea,  silk,  and  porcelain  ;  and  her  internal 
commerce  is  very  considerable. 

Climate  and  jea^sons.  The  climate  of  Russia 
in  Europe,  as  may  be  expected  in  such  a  diversity  of  lati- 
tudes, presents  almost  every  variety  from  that  of  Lapland, 
to  that  of  Italy  :  for  the  newly  acquired  province  of  Taurida 
may  be  compared  with  Italy  in  climate  and  soil. 

Soil  and  Agriculture.         The  soil  is  of  course 

also  CXircnieiy  Uivciac         2.  i\\.  \\iKta\.  xviiiic  ij  ij.ai   W'wvA'>-"u— 

the  Don  and  the  Vol, -a,  from  V  oroneiz  to  Simbirsk,  con- 
sisting of  a  black  mould,  strongly  impregnated  with  salt- 


RUSSIA  IN  EUROPE. 


105 


petre  ;  that  is,  a  soil  formed  from  successive  layers  of  vee*- 
table  remains.  In  Livonia  and  Esthonia  the  medial  returns 
ot  harvest  are  eight  or  ten  fold  ;  and  the  latter  is  generally 
the  produce  of  the  rich  plains  near  the  Don,  where  the 
fields  are  never  manured,  but  on  the  contrary  are  apt  to 
swell  the  corn  into  too  much  luxuriance.  Pasturage  is  so 
abundant  that  the  meadows  are  little  regarded,  and  the  ar- 
tihcial  production  of  grasses  is  scarcely  known. 

In  general  however  agricuhure  is  treated  with  great 
negligence,  yet  the  harvests  are  abundant.  In  the  north 
rye  is  most  generally  cultivated  ;  but  in  the  middle  and 
the  southern  regions  wheat ;  in  the  government  of  Eka- 
tarinoslav  the  Arnautan  wheat  is  beautiful,  the  flour  yel- 
lowish, the  return  commonly  fifteen  fold;  nor  is  Turkish 
wheat  or  maize,  unknown  in  Taurida.  Barley  is  a  gene- 
ral produce,  and  is  converted  into  meal,  as  well  as  oats, 

A^'^^J^  *"^^  °*^  porridge  is  composed.  Millet  is  also 
widely  diffused.  Rice  succeeds  well  in  the  vicinity  of  Kis- 
lear.  Hemp  and  flax  form  great  objects  of  agriculture, 
lobacco  also  has  been  produced  since theyear  1763,chiefly 
from  1  urkish  and  Persian  seed.  »  / 

Rivers.  In  enumerating  the  chief  rivers  of  Euro- 
pean Russia  the  first  attention  is  due  to  the  majestic  Volea, 
which  forms  through  a  long  space,  the  boundary  between 
Asia  and  hurope.  Its  comparative  course  may  be  comput- 
ed at  about  1 700  miles.  This  noble  river  having  no  cata- 
racts,  and  few  shoals,  is  navigable  even  to  Twer 

Next  to  the  Volga,  on  the  west,  is  the  Don,  or  Tanais, 
which  rises  from  a   lake   in  the  government  of  Tulan 

m"kl       '"^^         '"^  °^  ^'°*"'  ^^^''  ^  "^^"''^  °f  ^bo^t  800 

^'^^f^^P^*;'  ^^^cient  Borysthenes,  rises  in  the  govem- 

s^urce  of ^rv"f '''  ^^Tu'""  '""^^  ^«  '^'  ««"^h  «f  the 
source  of  the  \olga,  and  about  loo  to  the  S.  E.  of  that  of 

the  Duna,  or  Duma,  which  flows  into  the  Baltic,  by  Ric^a- 

and  after  a  course  of  about  1000  miles  through  ribband  ferl 

tile  provinces,  falls  into  the  Euxine.  " 

600  miles."     "      ""  *'  ^^Kcrman,  alter  a  course  of  about 


U6 


RUSSIA  IN  EUROPE. 


The  Dwina  falls  into  the  gulph  of  Archangel,  after  • 
considerable  eourse  of  al)Out  500  miles.  The  Onega  closes 
the  list  of  the  chief  rivers  that  flow  into  the  Arctic  ocean ; 
for  those  of  Olonetz,  and  of  Russian  Lapland,  are  of  little 
consequence. 

Lakes.  The  chief  lakes  of  European  Russia  arc 
situated  in  tl^e  N.  W.  division  of  the  empire.  There  is  a 
considerable  lake  in  Russian  Lapland,  that  of  Imandra ;  to 
the  south  of  which  is  the  large  lake  of  Onejjja,  which  is  about 
50  miles  in  lengtli,  by  a  medial  breadth  of  about  30.  To 
the  west  is  the  Ladoga,  about  130  miles  in  length,  by  70  in 
breadth,  being  one  ofthe  largest  lakes  in  Europe.  As  it  has 
many  shoals,  and  is  liable  to  sudden  and  violent  tempests, 
Peter  the  Great  opened  a  canal  along  its  shores,  from  the 
Volk  to  the  Neva. 

On  the  S.  W.  we  find  the  lake  of  Peypus,  about  60  miles 
in  length  by  30  in  breadth :  and  to  the  east  is  the  lake 
Ilmen,  on  which  stands  the  ancient  city  of  Novgorod.  The 
Beiio,  or  White  lake,  is  so  called  from  its  bottom  of  white 
cJay. 

Mountains.  European  Russia  is  rather  a  plain 
country,  though  some  parts  of  it  be  greatly  elevated,  such 
as  that  which  sends  forth  the  three  rivers  of  Duna,  Volga, 
and  Nieper.  This  region  which  is  passed  in  travelling  from 
Petersburg  to  Moscow,  is  by  some  called  the  mountains  of 
Valday  ;  but  it  seems  to  be  rather  a  high  table  land,  sur- 
mounted with  large  sand  hills,  and  interspersed  with  masses 
jof  redand  grey  granite. 

The  most  important  chains  of  mountains  in  European 
Russia  are  those  of  Olonetz  in  the  furthest  N.  and  tliose  of 
Ural  which  separate  Europe  from  Asia.  The  chain  of 
Olonetz  runs  in  a  direction  almost  due  N.  for  the  ^j  u  e  of 
.5°  or  about  900  G.  miles.  The  most  arctic  part  nJ^u'is 
perpetual  snow  from  the  altitude  of  the  climate. 

The  immense  Uralian  chain  extends  from  about  the 
50th  to  near  the  67th  degree  of  N.  latitude,  or  about  1000 
G.  miles  in  length,  and  has  by  the  Russians  been  called 
Sefnenoi  Pnias,  or  the  girdle  of  the  world,  an  extravagant 
appellate  :H\  when  we  consider  that  the  chain  of  the  Andes 
extent,  i^*,  v  5v?  0  miles.  Pauda,  one  of  the  highest  moun- 


45 12  feet  above  the  level  ofthe  sea,  an  inconsiderable  height 
when  compared  with  Mont  Blanc  or  Mont  Rosa. 


RUSSIA  IN  EUROPE.  ,or 

VEGETAnL«    AND    AnimAL  pRODUCXTm.a  Tu 

vegetable  kingdom  of  Ru„i.  ha,  .i^'bl^.^r^rfec,  Jex! 
plorcd.     The  Russian  provinces  N   nFth^  PoiT-       ^    ^ 

cipally  supplied  with'  ma  ,s   d  X  pUch    an?Sr"  "^.T- 

chief  part  of  their  honev  the  h.Vrh  Vu     V^         .       '  *^^« 
the  greater  n,aple,  and  ^y'calr"  'of  h:  jfb,  tdT"' 

either  eaten  fresh  "I  is  SeJvedt ''-'"?"*'•'  """  '» 
winter.  The  Tau'rida  aboSnds  rthe  oak  UikT«  ""^ 
mon  kind  and  the  snecies  wi.V ^.V!l.  '  "*  ""*  '=°™- 
and  the  white  DODlara  of  1..  "^V^  ''  '"P' '  *''«  ""^k 
margins  of  S^e  sS^a^- 12. hi  r*  ,"''"  """"S  the 
tree,  occupy  the  upland' pStu";  and  o.e  eT'  '^'r"^ 
crowns  the  summifsof  the  lime-st'ontridies  nfT  ^^'^ 
bear  ng  shrabs  and  trw.   i,«.J     .u     ^       Of  the  fruit- 

the  white,  Im  black  currant  whlh'^'^?*'''"'^''  *"«  «* 
dance  thr^ugrthe  woSrtherr^i^  ,lf",''''PT«' '"  "'»'»- 
the  apricot  aL  crab^^  ^^  ;X  ^J^  "lb"  "^f  ^'' ' 
Tatarian,  the  black,  and 'tL  w^Uetulbe^^^tf  V '*"' 

s^^nJruXo:r„^^^rlSltS^£  "^^- 

—  o-j  -jiruwg,  ana  Deautiful.  "*- ^-IapIrc  js 


t08 


RUSSIA  IN  EUROPE. 


In  Taurida  it  is  said  that  common  Tatars  may  possess 
about  1000  sheep,  while  an  opulent  flock  1&  computed  at 
50,000 ;  those  of  the  whole  peninsula  were  supposed  to 
amount  to  7,000,000  :  nor  is  the  rein-deer  unknown  in  the 
furthest  N.  so  that  the  empire  may  be  said  to  extend  from 
the  latitude  of  the  rein-deer  to  that  of  the  camel. 

MiNERALOoy.  The  chief  mines  belongmg  to 

Russia  ai'e  in  the  Asiatic  part  of  the  empire,  but  a  few  are 
situated  in  the  European,  in  the  mountains  of  Olonetz  ; 
and  there  was  formerly  a  gold  mine  in  that  region  near  the 
river  Vyg. 


.RUSSIAN  ISLES. 


The  small  isle  of  Cronstadt,  in  the  gulph  of  Finlard,  was 
formerly  called  Retusavi,  and  is  only  remarkable  for  an  ex- 
cellent haven,  strongly  fortified,  the  chief  station  of  the 
Russian  fleet.  In  the  Baltic,  Russia  vlso  possesses  the 
islands  of  Oesel  and  Dago.  .  ,    l.    ^    .       ., 

Novaya  Zemlia,  or  the  New  Land,  u.jmhabited,  is  said 
to  consist  of  five  isles,  but  the  channels  between  them  are 
always  filled  with  ice.  Seals,  walruses,  arctic  foxes,  white 
bears,  and  a  few  rein-deer,  constitute  the  zoology  of  this 

desert. 

The  remote  and  dreary  islands  of  Spitzbergen  having 
been  taken  possession  of  by  the  Russians,  they  may  be 
here  briefly  described.  The  main  land  of  Spitzbergen  ex- 
tends about  300  miles  from  the  south  cape,  lat.  76°  30'  to 
Verlegan  Hook,  lat.  SO"  7'.  It  is  supposed  to  have  been  first 
discovered  by  the  Dutch  navigator  Barentz  in  1596.  About 
the  first  of  November  the  sun  sets,  and  appears  no  more 
till  the  beginning  of  February  ;  and  after  ihe  beginning  it 
never  sets  till  August.  The  only  shrubby  plant  that  is  seen 
is  the  Lapland  willow,  which  rises  to  the  height  of  two 
inches.  Here  are  found  polar  bears,  foxes,  rein-deer,  with 
walruses  and  seals. 


AUSTRIAN  DOMINIONS. 


THE  dominions  subject  to  the  house  of  Austria  embrace 
many  ancient  kingdoms  and  states,  which,  for  the  X  of 
perspicuity  are  here  brought  under  one  po  nt  of  vfew  The 
hereditary  domains  alone  cf  this  powerful  house  eTt'itle  it 
to  rank  anjong  the  chief  European  powers,  beTng  of  wkie 
extent,  and  great  importance,  and  boasting  a  popuIaT^n 
of  not  less  than  20,000,000.  ^      population 

In  describmg  a  sovereignty,  thus  composed  of  manv 
ancient  states,  it  may  seem  proper  to  pay  the  first  and  hS 
attention  to  that  part  which  was  the  Lrl  est  fmpoi  tit  in 
ha  ^rh*"^'^"  ruhngfamily.     On  this  plan  the^minces 
tha.  will  here  require  particular  observation  are  the  arch 
duchy  of  Austria;    the  kingdoms  of  Hungary,  and  «o" 
hemia  ;  the  grand^duchy  of  Transvlvani^-th Jli-  • 
towards  the  Adriatic,  wifh  the' riSs'of  VenTeS 

i.„.°!  "?'*r'*'  ?F.  'he  eastern  kmKdom,irose  after  Ch... 

»\-iixai:tic  iiiia  p.srHr.Jiuii*./!  »u^   , a. .  .'    "" •- 


nant 


i__  1       .....  ""'^^•^'-'»«»vt»4u^c  aicer  I  .nar- 

Buc  i,aa  cstapiisi.ed  the  western  empire,  beiiiea'rem' 


110 


AUSTRIAN  DOMINIONS. 


li 


l'> 


ill 


I-  ) 

In 


feudatory  to  the  dukes  of  Bavaria,  till  the  emperor  Frederic 
Barbarosa,  in  11 56,  constituted  it  a  duchy  held  immediately 
of  the  empire.  Hungary,  a  part  of  which  belonged  to 
ancient  Dacia,  derives  its  modern  appellation  from  the 
Ugurs,  a  nation  of  Turkomanic  or  Tataric  origin :  their 
language  approaches  to  the  !•  innic  dialect.  Bohemia,  or 
the  habitation  of  the  Boii,  was  a  central  province  of  Bar- 
baric Germany,  aft^erwards  seized  by  a  Slavonic  tribe, 
whose  chiefs  were  originally  styled  dukes  of  Bohemia. 
Transylvania,  and  the  Buckovina  are  parts  of  the  province 
of  Dacia,  founded  by  Trajan.  Venice,  as  is  well  known, 
derives  its  appellation  from  the  ancient  Veneti  of  the  op- 
posite shore. 

Extent.  From  the  frontiers  of  Swisserland,  to 
the  utmost  limits  of  Transylvania,  the  length  of  the  Aus- 
trian dominions  may  be  about  760  British  miles;  the 
breadth  about  520.  The  acquisition  of  Venetian  Dalmatia 
may  probably  soon  be  followed  by  the  junction  of  those 
Turkish  provinces,  which  divide  that  province  from  the 
Austrian  domain.  The  square  contents  may  be  about 
184,000  miles#  Boetticher  estimates  the  inhabitants  at 
108  to  a  square  mile. 
The  principal  sub-divisions  of  the  Austrian  dominions 

/.  The  Circle  of  Austria.  2.  The  kingdom  of  Bohemia. 
3.  Moravia.  4.  Part  of  Silesia.  5.  Part  of  Bavaria.  6. 
PartofSwabia.  7.  Hungary.  S.Transylvania.  9.  Dal- 
matia. 10.  Part  of  Poland.  U.  The  Venetian  territo- 
ries E.  of  the  Adige,  and  the  city  of  Venice. 

Towards  the  E.  the  Austrian  dominions  border  on  those 
of  Russia  and  Turkey,  and  to  the  N.  on  those  of  Prussia, 
Upper  Saxony,  Bavaria,  and  Swabia.  On  the  utmost  W. 
are  Swisserland  and  the  Italian  states. 

Original  Population.  The  original  population 
of  these  extensive  regions  is  various,  but  chiefly  Gothic 
and  Slavonic.  The  Venetians,  and  adjacent  Italians,  may 
be  considered  as  genuine  descendants  of  the  Cisalpine 
Gauls,  and  of  the  Roman  colonies  established  among  them. 
In  ancient  descent  no  genealogy  can  vie  with  that  of  several 
Venetian  families,  which  can  be  traced  by  history  and  re- 
cord to  the  eighth  century. 

Historical  Epochs.  1.  The  house  of  Austria 
is  well  known  to  have  sprung  from  the  humble  counts  of 


\i 


AUSTRIAN  DOMINIONS.  1 1 1 

Hapsburg.  On  a  lofty  eminence,  crowned  with  beech,  in 
the  (anton  of  Berne,  stands  an  ancient  tower,  the  first 
seat  of  the  house  of  Austria.  In  1273,  Rodolph  of  Haps- 
burg was  called  to  the  imperial  throne,  being  at  this  time 
ord  of  the  greater  part  of  Swisserland ;  by  the  extinction  of 
the  powerful  houses  of  Zaermgen,  and  Kyburg 

2  Another  emperor  of  the  house  of  Austria  appeared 
in  Albert,  A.  D.  1298  ;  from  whom  the  Swiss  made  their 
signa  revolt  m  1307.  His  son  Frederic  was  obliged  to 
yield  the  empire  to  Louis  of  Bavaria. 

3.  Albert  II.  duke  of  Austria,  A.  D.  1438,  succeeded  to 
three  crowns,  on  the  death  of  his  father-in-law  the  emperor 

am/ f^^r  f '/k  ""'^  ""^  "  u"S^''y  ^"^  ^°^^"»^  by  inheritance, 
and  that  of  the  empire  by  unanimous  election. 

fh  ^•^^'^'"^^J'an  having  married  the  heiress  of  Burgundy, 
the  Netherlands  became  subject  to  the  house  of  Aus^trTa  in 

5.  The  noted  bigotry  of  the  house  of  Austria  was  not 
confined  to  the  Spanish  branch  ;  for  though  MaxTiUan 
II.  about  1570,  had  granted  liberty  of  conscience  eTen  to 
the  Protestants  of  Austria,  yet  those  of  Bohemia,  and  other 
parts,  were  afterwards  so  rtuch  oppressed,  that  the  Pro- 
testant  princes  of  Germany  called  in  Gustaff  Ado!f,  the 
celebrated  Swedish  monarch,  to  their  assistance,  and  the 
war  continued  till  1648,  when  the  famous  treaty  if  West! 
phaha  was  signed,  which  has  served  as  a  basis  for  other 
diplomatic  transactions.  ^* 

6.  The  war  with  France  was  often  re-kindled  durine-  the 
long  reign  of  Leopold  I.  1658,  to  1705  ;  and  inTegf  the 
lurks  were  so  successful  as  to  lay  siege  to  Vienna 

7.  His  son  Joseph  I.  joined  the  allies  against  France 

Tni  r^f  ^"  '}V'  '"i''^'''     H^  »"^>^ried  th^e  daughter  of 
John  B  rederic  duke  of  Hanover.  "^uj^nier  oi 

8.  By  the  death  of  the  emperor  Charles  VI  on  the  9nfU 

dom  of  Rnl»i-   ^''^/'^"o'-  »f  Bavaria  seiml  the  kinR- 
tdin  .745 T     ''"''^'''  elected  emperor  in  1742,  b^t 

continued  to  be  held'by  todiscrndaM,'  ''°"""°"''  ""'''■ 


112 


AUSTRIAN  DOMINIONS. 


10.  The  reign  of  the  emperor  Joseph  II.  a  beneficent 
but  impolitic  prince. 

1 1 .  The  obdurate  and  sanguinary  contest  with  P'rance, 
fhe  events  of  which  have  broken  the  connection  between 
Great  Britain  and  the  empire,  and  destroyed  the  ancient 
balance  of  Europe. 

Having  thus  briefly  marked  the  chief  epochs  of  the  Aus- 
trian  power,  the  events  of  the  subject  kingdoms  and  states 
being  of  less  importance,  must  be  omiited. 

Of  the  provinces  towards  the  Adriatic  the  history  is  little 
memorable,  except  that  of  Venice,  a  recent  acquisition. 
This  ancient  and  remarkable  city  was  founded  in  the  fifth' 
century  by  the  Veneti  of  the  opposite  shore,  who  fled  from 
the  incursions  of  the  barbarians.  At  first  each  isle  was 
governed  by  a  tribune,  till  the  ^ear  697,  when  the  first  doge 
was  elected.  In  the  ninth  and  tenth  centuries  the  govern- 
ment of  the  doges  became  nearly  hereditary ;  but  in  the 
eleventh  the  election  again  became  open.  Towards  the 
dose  of  the  twelfth  century  the  democratic  form  was  sue-- 
ceeded  by  an  election,  and  administration  severely  aris- 
tocratic, and  Well  kno^n  by  its  singularity  and  stability. 
The  Venetians  having  gradually  extended  their  power 
along  the  Adriatic,  irt  the  year  1204,  became  masters  of 
several  Grecian  provinces  and  islands;  and  after  their 
contests  with  the  Pisans,  and  Genoese,  became  the  first 
commercial  and  maritime  power  in  Europe,  till  the  end  of 
the  fifteenth  century,  when  the  discovery  of  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope  transferred  the  oriental  traffic  to  the  Portu- 
guese. The  authority  of  Venice  declined  with  its  com- 
merce;  and  the  republic,  at  length  fell  by  trusting  to 
French  faith,  which  was  never  pledged  but  to  deceive.  ^ 

ANTiquiTiEs.  Vindobona,  (Vienna)  and  the  adja- 
cent parts  of  Noricum  and  Pannonia,  occasionally  display 
Roman  remains  ;  but  the  ruins  of  the  celebrated  bridge  of 
Trajan,  over  the  Danube,  belong  to  Turkey  in  Europe  ;  it 
is  supposed  to  have  consisted  of  twenty  arches,  or  rather 
vast  piers  of  stone,  originally  supporting  a  wooden  fabric 
of  the  length  of  more  than  3,300  English  feet.  In  Hun- 
gary, and  other  parts  of  the  ancient  province  of  Dacia,  ap- 
pear many  relics  of  Roman  power,  as  military  roads,  ruins, 
&c.  Several  castles,  churches,  and  monasteries  still  re- 
maining, attest  the  magnificence  of  the  founders.     The 


AUSTRIAN  DOMINIONS. 


secuar*  found  inS.m  Sora^a  Vi^^^T  °^ 7""^' 
and  Hungary.    Vienna  did  nn.  h  !f '  *' '  ransylvania, 

orders,  dergy;pee™llth,fh     """'  '""'''''"S  ""o"-' 
numerous  army  Poweriul  monarch,  supported  by  a 

™:":;^;\raL\r;^^r;:c:i?^fj» 

laws  may  be  regarded  Is  mnrf-n^  i^*'    ^"  general  the 
trians  in'  partS Ir?  a    "  rreSlateT '  T '''' ^'''■ 

mated  at  7,880,ooo  Wuckovma,  being  esti^ 

>..owlt\to[;Srr'ri':ri56"ot'"',".^^  ^r^^" '" 

sitions  in  Poland  contain  ^  707  mn    ?u '  t   ^-^  ""'^"^^  ^^^u'- 
computed  at  1,820,000.  ^"^.^^^hduchy  of  Austria  is 

365,41' n^en,  in  U6^Sents  o'f :Jr^l'>  ^«^«-^-'  ^^ 
and  o^nly  eleven  HungaH^      '         '"'^  ''  "^''^  ^^''^^^»«' 

10,000,ooorsrerling'^^?:  'Xch '1'  '^P"'^^  ^^"^^^'^^  ^J^^" 
3,000,000/.  and  Hungary  Tnttle  mn     h  ^^^^^^butes  about 

half.     Th;o "  ^^^^  *  "^^^e  "iore  than  a  millinn  a«^  „ 

^    - ... ,  ..,.,^^   „3^^  i«  exceed  the  expences."" ^"  " 

IMPORTANCE  AND    RELiriONS  S.. 

-.deration  o^f  his  influence:::'e„.p;';^; 


ting 


LU 


AUSTRIAN  DOMINIONS. 


over  the  German  states,  the  monarch  may  be  regarded  as 
an  ecjual  rival  of  France,  and  only  inferior  to  the  prepon- 
derance of  Russia ;  and  this  power  has  occasioned  a  deter- 
mined rivalry  between  him  and  France.  'Uiere  are  also 
causes  of  confirmed  jealousy  between  Austria  and  Prussia; 
and  it  is  doubtful  if  even  an  invasion  from  Russia  would 
compel  them  to  unite  in  a  defensive  alliance.  Amidst  so 
many  enmities,  and  the  necessary  jealousy  of  Russian 
power,  it  would  be  difficult  to  point  out  any  state  on  the 
continent  with  which  Austria  could  enter  into  a  strict  5nd 
lasting*;  alliance.  The  most  natural  and  constant  may  be 
that  with  Fngland,  whose  maritime  power  might  inflict 
deep  wounds  upon  their  common  enemy.  By  cultivating 
a  steady  friendship  with  Great  Britain  the  emperor  may 
more  easily  extend  his  commerce  and  shipping  in  the 
Adriatic  and  Mediterranean  which  would  be  a  considerable 
step  to  becoming  a  maritime  power,  long  the  object  of 
his  ambition ;  and  in  case  of  a  partition  of  European  Turkey, 
which  may  not  be  very  distant,  with  her  aid  he  may  possess 
himself  of  the  Morea,  and  the  isle  of  Candy,  both  of  which 
were  formerly  under  the  dominion  of  Venice.  This  ac- 
quisition would  not  only  operate  as  a  check  on  the  en- 
croachments of  Russia,  in  the  Black  Sea,  but  frustrate  the 
designs  of  France  on  i.gypt  and  the  Levant. 

Manners  and  Customs.  Various  are  the  man- 
ners and  customs  of  the  n.fmerous  kingdoms  and  provinces 
subject  to  the  house  of  Austria.  In  Austria  proper  the 
people  are  much  at  tifcir  ease  ;  and  the  farmers,  and  even 
pt:asantry,  little  inferior  to  those  of  England.  Travellers 
have  remarked  the  abundance  of  provisions  at  Vienna,  and 
the  consequent  daily  luxury  of  food,  accompanied  with 
great  variety  of  wines.  The  Austrian  manners  are  cold, 
but  civil ;  the  women  elegant,  but  devoid  of  mental  accom- 
plishments. The  youth  of  rank  are  commonly  ignorant, 
and  of  course  haughty.  An  Austrian  nobleman  or  gentle- 
man is  never  seen  to  read,  and  hence  polite  literature  is 
almost  unknown  and  uncultivated.  In  consequence  of  this 
iffnorance  the  lanijuage  remains  unpolished  ;  and  the  Aus- 
trian speech  is  one  of  the  meanest  dialects  of  the  German, 
so  that  polite  people  are  constrained  to  use  French.  The 
lo.tv'^-''  ovfifM'si  ore.  however,  little  addicted  to  crimes  or 
vices,  and  punishments  are  rare ;  robberies  are  seldom  com- 
mitted, and  murder  little  known.     When  capital  punish- 


AUSTRIAN  DOMINIONS. 


115 

ment  becomes  unavoidable,  it  is  administered  M^ith  ^ve^t 

solemnity,  and  accompanied  with  public  prayers  an  e^Il 

pie  wortliy  of  universal  imitation  P^ayefs.  an  exam- 

pecu.iL,\:!:n:  r^sty  tL^r;rcaKttr  -  ?b^ 

?/™ceri -"Slf  V'i"'  -«^  -"«-  -d Xed  'cat 

nion/a*re  varies  :  th7r  '""^^"1?'^  sP°ken  in  these  domi- 
Slal^by  r ^01  s    p' VTofThey'"  ™""S  r'™'  "« 

prevails  in  the  sv^t^T  Tu  i    ^u         ^  '^'^  ^^""'^^^  ^^  course 
and  the  Tvmlei  L?  n!  ^'^^^.'^^^  ^^^  ^ub  ect  to  Austria: 

ed  schools  for  he  education  i^^^^.^.P''^^^  J^eresa  institut- 

educationofteachas      H^ncetferh-n^  ^"'  """'  ?^  ^^^^ 
taphysics  before  they  knovvratinanHfK?"  ?'"  ''"^^'  "^^■ 

was^bunded  infssr/and^&pr"^^''  T^''''''''     '' 
Inspruck   only  dates  ^rnr^T^f.  ^'rague  ,n  1347;  that  of 

tuted  academies  at  Paab,  and  Cascl^n^  nn   /^r  «V'^^" 
the  Germans  rall^^ri  T^w  ^^schau.     1  hat  of  Buda,by 

salaries  of  t^  rp'rof JsL, s      Tl''^^'''  "'^  "PP'^^^  ^«  P^^  ^^^ 
university  at  Orbrtz'T^^nd  ^bl^hon  ^  ^" 

''""V^:!:^  -plendS^l^^^^l  1^  ^-  - 
Austrian  donfi^L^^ 

Danube,  in  Tfc^dk  plain  waoln  .'''  "f^""'  "'"'•  ^^^^  ^^^he 
The  Danube  is  1  ere  vei"  ^^rl^^^  of  that  river, 

isles:  it  is  foundedontL    fte  7.'°"''"'^^^^^^^ 
but  was  of  litile  nnT^u\u!'ty^.i\'^  ^""^"t  Vindobona  : 

came  the  residenceTf  th^dukerorin'';-"'^'  ^^^"  "  ^^'' 

manner  of  that  a^     Th.  "''  '?^  ''^'  ^^'- 
^n«»tage.     The  manufactures  are 


tified 


lid 


AUSTRIAN  DOMINIONS. 


Kttle  remarkable,  though  some  inland  commerce  be  trans- 
actecf  on  the  noble  stream  of  the  Danube.  The  number 
of  inhabitants  is  computed  at  254,000.  The  suburbs  are 
far  more  extensive  than  the  city,  standing  at  a  considerable 
distance  from  the  walls.  The  houses  are  generally  of 
brick  covered  with  stucco,  in  a  more  durable  manner  than 
commonly  practised  in  England;  the  finest  sand  being 
chosen,  and  the  lime,  after  having  been  slacked,  remaining 
for  a  twelvemonth,  cover'^d  with  sand  and  boards,  before 
it  be  applied  to  the  intended  use.  The  chief  edifices  are 
the  metropolitan  church  of  St.  vStephen,  the  imperial  palace, 
library,  and  arsenal,  the  house  of  assembly  for  the  states 
of  lower  Austria,  the  council-house,  the  university,  and 
some  monasteries.  Provisions  of  all  kinds  abound  in  Vien- 
na, particularly  wild  boars,  venison,  and  game  ;  many  small 
birds  rejected  by  us  being  included  among  the  latter.  Livers 
of  geese  are  esteemed  a  peculiar  delicacy  ;  nor  are  tor- 
toises, frogs,  and  snails  rejected. 

Next  in  importance  to  Vienna  was  Milan,  the  inhabitants 
of  which  were  computed  at  more  than  1 30,000.  The  loss 
of  Milan  will  be  rirhly  recompensed  by  the  acquisition  of 
Venice,  supposed  to  contain  200,000  souls.  The  latter 
celebrated  city,  singularly  situated  in  the  lagunes,  or  shal- 
lows of  the  Adriatic  sea,  and  secured  in  a  great  measure 
from  the  fury  of  the  waves  by  exterior  shoals,  which  form 
a  natural  fortification  on  that  side,  has  been  frequently  de- 
scribed. ...        .      J      -  • 

The  honour  of  the  third  city  m  the  Austrian  dominions 
must  be  claimed  by  Prague,  the  population  being  estimated 
at  80,000.  This  metropolis  of  Bohemia  stands  on  both 
sides  of  the  river  Mulda,  over  which  there  is  a  noble  bridge 
of  stone,  founded  in  1337.  The  houses  are  of  stone,  and 
commonly  three  stories  in  height ;  and  about  a  sixth  part 
of  the  population  consists  of  Jews. 

Next,  though  at  a  great  distance,  stands  Gratz,  the  ca- 
pital  of  Stiria,  supposed  to  hold  35,000  souls.  This  city 
stands  on  the  west  side  of  the  river  Muehr,  joined  by  a 
bridge  to  an  extensive  suburb  on  the  opposite  bank. 

Presburg,  the  capital  of  Hungary,  only  contains  about 
27,000  inhabitants ;  it  is  beautifully  situated  on  the  Danube, 
towards  the  western  extremity  of  Hungary,  being  on.y 
about  35  British  mUes  to  the  east  of  Vienna.     About  one 


1? 


;  bridge 


\JHXJ 


AUSTRIAN  DOMINIONS.  n7 

quarter  of  the  inhabitants  are  Lutherans,  who  are  so  oDulent 
as  to  pay  about  one  half  the  taxes. 

Buda,  by  the  Germans  called  Offen,  the  ancient  metro- 
pohs  of  Hungary,  with  the  city  of  Pesth,  which  stands  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  Danube,  over  which  there  is  a  bridge 
ot  boats,  may  be  computed  at  34,000.  The  chief  pubHc 
and  private  buildings  are  in  Pesth,  and  within  the  fortress : 
the  royal  palace  m  particular  is  a  large  and  stately  edifice. 

l.astly  Trieste,  which  is  reckoned  at  18,000  deserves 
more  particular  attention,  having  been  for  a  long  time  the 
only  sea-port  belonging  to  Austrk  It  is  situated  on  a  gulph 
of  the  Adriatic,  and  rises  on  an  ascent  which  is  crowned 
fl^  T  /  ^^  shipping  is  secured  by  a  wall,  extending 
from  the  Lazaretto  to  the  isle  of  Zuka  ;  and  the  harbouD 
was  declared  free  by  the  empress  Theresa.  The  neigh, 
bourhood  produces  excellent  wines. 

Edifices  The  chief  public  edifices  arc  at  Vienna, 
Buda,  and  Pesth,  to  which  may  now  be  added  Venice  ;  but 
there  are  many  splendid  churches  and  monasteries  in  the 
several  regions  of  the  Austrian  domination.  Many  of  the 
Hungarian  nobihty,  who  have  vast  estates,  possess  castlea 
'  of  corresponding  magnificence. 

Manufactures  and  Commerce.  Vienna  per- 
haps  equals  any  other  of  the  Austrian  cities  in  manufae- 
tures,  which  are  chiefly  of  silk,  gold  and  silver  ^0^^, 

Dlf'^fl'^'^"'^^'', '•"'";  "^"'•'°''^'  P'^^^^»^'"=  ^ith  silver 
plat'     ".nd  several  articles  in  brass.     Bohemia  is  celebrated 

T,Jir.  "^''  '''",'*.  P^P'^''-     ^"^  ^^'^  commerce  of  the 

w!  "  """""^  ''^'''^y  ^eP^^n^^s  "Pon  their  native  opu- 

abunrl'.^r.  i^  '""P^"  ^"?  ^^'"^  southern  provinces  produc  ng 
abundance  ..  horses  and  cattle,  corn,  flax,  safiVon,  and  va- 
nous  wines,  with  several  metals,  particularly  f-uiciJlver 

LTin  o.^^'",'V'^^"     J^-l--iaand  Moravia";     so 
ich  in  oxen  and  sheep,   corn,  flax,   and  hemp  ;  in  which 

land  ^Hunr""^  ^^  ''''  dismembered  proviL'es  of  Po- 
und.    Hungary  presents   numerous  herds  of  cattle  •  and 

Z  ^h"  Srofl  r  ^  ^'.^'^f  ^^""^"-^  P-duce  cot'  r?c"et 

with  Selt  and  L^°K^^^  ^^^"'"^'^^  «^^°"»' 

nerals      TUWif    '^'^  'A"^»""  of  various  i^etala  and  mi 

^iro^^:^^^^:^^  ^--^'.  tl-  chief  exports 

and  other  meteu'''^^tr    t'*^^^^'  consfstin.^  of  quicksilver 

la  otner  metals,  with  wines  and  various  native  products  : 


118 


AUSTRIAN  DOMINIONS. 


It 


the  various  produce  of  the  rich  kingdom  of  Hungai^',  being 
chiefly  conveyed  to  the  other  Austrian  provinces. 

Climate  and  Seasons.  The  climate  of  Austria 
proper  is  commonly  mild  and  salubrious,  though  some- 
times exposed  to  violent  winds,  and  the  southern  provinces 
in  general  enjoy  a  delightful  temperature,  if  the  mountain- 
ous parts  be  excepted.  The  more  northern  regions  of  Bo- 
hemia and  Moravia,  with  the  late  acquisitions  in  Poland, 
can  likewise  boast  the  maturity  of  the  grape,  and  of  gentle 
and  favourable  weather.  The  numerous  lakes  and  mo- 
rasses of  Hungary,  and  the  prodigious  plains,  are  supposed 
to  render  the  air  damp  and  unwholesome,  the  cold  of  the 
night  rivalling  the  heat  of  the  day  ;  but  the  blasts  from  the 
Carpathian  mountains  seem  in  some  measure  to  remedy 
these  evils,  the  inhabitants  being  rather  remarkable  for 
health  and  vigour. 

Soil  and  Agriculture.  The  soil  is  upon  the 
whole  extremely  fertile  and  productive,  in  spite  of  the  ne- 
glect of  industry,  which  has  permitted  many  parts  of  Hun- 
gary, and  of  the  Polish  provinces,  to  pass  into  wide  forests 
and  marshes.  The  state  of  agriculture  in  Moravia  is  supe- 
rior to  the  rest,  being  improved  by  Flemish  farmers. 

Rivers.  In  enumerating  the  chief  rivers  which 
pervade  the  Austrian  dominions,  the  Danube  commands 
the  first  attention.  This  magnificent  stream  rises  in  Swabia. 
Though  the  course  be  occasionally  impeded  by  small  falls 
and  whirlpools,  yet  it  is  navigable  through  a  prodigious 
extent,  and  after  watering  Swabia,  Bavaria,  Austria  proper, 
Hungary,  and  Turkey  in  Europe,  it  joins  the  Euxine,  or 
Black  sea,  after  a  circuit  of  about  1 300  British  miles,  about 
one  half  of  its  progress  being  through  the  territories  of 

Austria. 

Next  in  consequence  is  the  Tiess,  which  arising  from 
the  Carpathian  mountains,  and  bending  towards  the  west, 
receives  many  tributary  streams  from  that  Alpine  chain  ; 
and  afterwards  turning  to  the  S.  falls  into  the  Danube,  after 
a  course  of  about  420  miles.  At  Belgrade  the  Danube 
receives  the  Sau,  or  Save,  which  forms  a  boundary  between 
Austria  and  Turkey.  That  of  the  Drau  or  Drave  extends 
to  about  350  miles,  from  its  source  in  the  eastern  moun- 
tains of  Tyrol,  till  it  joins  the  Danube  below  Esseg. 

The  Inii  rises  in  the  E.  of  Swisscrland,  Irom  the  moun- 
tain of  Maloggia  in  the  Grisons,  being  a  point  of  partition 


J 


AUSTRIAN  DOMINIONS.  119 

dividing  the  waters  which  run  towards  the  Black  sea,  from 
tliose  which  flow  ;nto  the  Adriatic.  This  powerful  river 
IS  more  gentle  near  its  source,  than  the  other  Alpine 
streams,  but  soon  becomes  more  precipitous ;  and  joins  the 
Danube  at  Passau  with  a  weight  of  water  nearly  equal  to 
that  stream,  after  a  course  ot  about  2,50  miles. 

Lakes.  The  lakes  in  the  Austrian  dominions  are 
numerous,  and  some  of  them  of  considerable  size  Ca- 
rinthia  contams  a  large  central  lake  not  far  from  Clatren- 
lurt  ;  and  Carmola  another,  the  Cirknitz  See.  Hunrarv 
contams  many  morasses,  and  lakes  ;  the  most  important 
pt  the  latter  bemg  that  of  I  latte,  or  the  Flatten  See,  extend- 
in-  about  forty.five  British  miles  in  length,  by  eiRht  in 
breadth,  and  abounding  nith  fish.  The  Neufidler  lake, 
about  thirty  miles  S.  E.  of  Vienna,  is  about  thirteen  miles 
m  length  by  four  in  breadth. 

Mountains.         Beginning  at  the  western  extremi- 
ties, the  Rhaetianor  Tyrolese  Alps  claim  our  first  atten- 
u    l^^  ^^^^^^y  proceed  in  a  direction  from  the  S  W 
to  the  N.  E.  or  from  the  Valteline  to  the  archbishopric  of 
Salzburg.     The  Banner  mountains,  for  such  is  the  mo- 
dern name  of  the  Rhaetian  Alps,  rival  the  grand  Alps  of 
Swisserland  in  numerous  glaciers  ;  and  like  other  grand 
chains  present  exterior  barriers,  that  on  the  N.  bein^  dis- 
tinguished by  the  name  of  Spitz,  while  that  on  the  S    is 
termed  \  edretta.  On  leaving  Italy  there  is  almost  a  gradual 
ascent,  from  Trent  to  the  highest  summit.     The  greatest 
elevations  arise  to  the  N.  of  Sterzing,   whence  ftreams 
proceed  towards  the  river  Inn  on  the  N.  and  the  Adige  on 

mLt^    f  ^^"^  ^•'''''  ^^^^^fl^s,  a  precipitous  torrent,  amidst 
masses  of  granite,  petrosilex,  and  marble.     The  irlacier 

t^hTleveFr  ?lr'''  ''  T  °^  •^'"'^^"  '  ''  '''  ^'^^2  f^^t^»>ove 
tne  level  of  the  sea,  and  presents  the  usual  phenomena  of 

such  scenes,  with  beautifal  pyramids  of  azure,  which  in 
sunshine  reflect  a  blaze  of  light. 

mounZf  '^'  W  and  N.  of  Inspruckare  several  detached 
mountains,  covered  with  constant  snow.    Near  the  glaciers 

langesofthelyrolese  mountains  contain  mines  of  silver 
copper,  lead,  mercury,  iron,  alum,  and  sulphur  ' 

ta.V/^';:^"!!"^-,'  ^-^^'^^  ''''''''}  P^rt  of  this  province,  con- 
^a....,  „,a..;,  v-uiisidcraole  mountains,  the  highest  of  which 
IS  m  the  maps  caUed  Pi  iel.     There  are  man^y  other  gToupt 


120 


AUSTRIAN  DOMINIONS. 


I! 


of  mountains  in  the  Austrian  territories  wortliy  oi  notice, 
which  it  w'oxM  exceed  our  limits  to  describe. 

However  we  must  not  omit  the  Carpathian  mountains, 
that  Rrand  and  extensive  chain  which  bounds  Hungary  on 
the  N.  and  E.  havin^^  been  celebrated  from  all  antiquity. 
By  the  (iermans  they  are  styled  the  mountains  of  Krapak, 
probably  the   orit,'inal  name,  which   was  softened  by  the 
Roman  enunciation.     This  enormous  ridge  extends  in  ft 
semicircular  form  from  the  mountain  of  Javornik  S.  of  Si- 
lesia towards  the  N .  W .     But  at  the  mountain  of  Trojaska, 
the  most  northern  summit,  it  bends  to  the  S.  E.  to  the  con- 
fines of  the  Buckovina,  where  it  sends  forth  two  branches, 
one  to  the  E.  another  to  the  W.  of  Transylvania;  which  is 
also  divided  from  Walachia  by  a  branch  running  t?.  W. 
and  N.  E.     The  whole  circuit  may  be  about  500  miles. 
The  highest  summits  of  these  mountains,  according  to 
Dr.  Townson,  do.  not  exceed  8  or  9000  feet,  and  they  are 
for  the  most  part  composed  of  granite  and  primitive  lime- 
stone. 

Vegetable  and  Animal  Productions.  The 
forests  of  Germany  have  been  famous  from  the  earliest 
antiquity.  The  Sylva  Ilercynia  which  extended  from  the 
Rhine  to  Sarmatia,  from  Cologne  to  Poland,  are  known  o 
every  boy  who  has  read  the  ancient  classics.  Though  by 
the  progress  of  civilization  and  improvement  many  of  these 
forests  have  been  removed,  there  are  still  considerable  re- 
mains in  the  Black  forest  of  Swabia,and  other  uncultivated 

tracts. The  principal  native  trees  are  the  elm  ;  tlie  wych 

elm  ;  lime  tree  ;  birch,  and  alder  ;  common  and  prickly- 
cupped  oak  ;  sumach ;  walnut ;  chesnut  and  beech  ;  horn- 
beam ;  black  and  white  poplar  and  aspen  ;  sycamore  and 
maple  ;  the  ash ;  the  pine,  the  fir,  the  yew-leaved  fir,  and 
the  larch.  All  the  common  fruit  trees  of  Europe  are  cul- 
tivated in  an  extensive  manner. 

The  domestic  animals  in  the  Austrian  dominions  are 
commonly  excellent,  particularly  the  cattle.  Many  of  the 
native  horses  run  wild,  and  are  sold  in  great  numbers  at 
the  fairs,  before  they  have  suffered  any  subjection.  The 
breed  of  cattle  is  mostly  of  a  singular  colour,  a  slaty  blue ; 
and  the  Hungarian  sheep  resemble  the  Walachian  in  their 
long  erect  spiral  horns,  and  pendant  hairy  fleece.  In  the 
western  parts  of  the  Austrian  sovereignty,  the  animals  do 


.*..  ^-  .^-.i.  •- 


AUSTRIAN  DOMINIONS.  131 

not  seem  to  be  distinguished  from  those  of  other  parts  of 
Germany.  *^ 

The  large  breed  of  wild  cattle  called  Urus  or  Bison. 
IS  said  to  be  found  in  the  Carpathian  forests,  as  well  as  in 
those  of  Lithuania  and  Caucasus.  Amon^-  the  wild  ciua- 
clrupeds,  may  also  be  named  the  bear,  the  boar,  the  wolf 
the  chamois,  the  marmot,  and  the  beaver.  The  Danube* 
boasts  of  some  fishes  seldom  found  in  other  rivers,  amontr 
which  is  a  small  and  delicate  sort  of  salmon. 

«,;n:i!?'^''u\"".u     '^''^  mincraK^y  of  the  Austrian  do- 
mmions  is  by  far  the  most  various  and  interesting  of  anv  in 
Lurope.     1  here  is  scarcely  a  province  of  this  extensive 
•territory,  which  cannot  boast  of  advantaj>es  in  the  mineral 
kingdom  ;  even  the  acquisitions  in  Poland  contain  one  of 
the  most  remarkable  mines  in  F.urope,  the  saline  excava- 
tions  of  Wiclitska.     The  mines  of  Uohemia  have  been  ce- 
lebrated  from  ancient  times.  Silver  is  found  at  Kuttenber^, 
and  at   Joachmsthal,  on    the  western    frontiers   towards 
Saxony  ;  and  gold  has  been  discovered  at  Keonstock.    One 
otthe  most  smgular  products  of  this  province  is  tin,  which 
IS  found  at  Zinwald  (that  is  the  tin  forest),  and  other  west- 
crn  districts  of  Bohemia;  where  is  also  found,  at  Drey. 

stadt,  m  the  same  quarter.  The  garnets  of  Bohemia  are 
among  the  most  beautiful  of  the  kind.  The  women  wash 
the  clay  ,n  which  the  garnets  are  found  ;  after  which  they 
are  sifted  and  arranged  according  to  size  ;  and  sold  by  the 
pound  weight  from  about  three  to  ten  shillings.  The 
iron  of  Stiria  supplies  the  finest  steel,  and  grL  quan- 
it.es  are  imported  into  Kngland:  there  are  considerate 
lead  mines  near  Pegau  on  the  river  Mohr,  yieldinrabout 
5000^tons    yearly.     Stiria   also  affords   c^afat  diffeS 

The  quicksilver  mines  of  Idra  are  celebrated  in  natural 
history,  poetry,  and  romance,  they  were  discovered  Tn 
the  year  1499;  and  the  hill  bf  Vogelberg  h^!s  annual  v 
yielded  more  than  300,000  pounds  wc?ight  o^mercu  y."'"^ 

But  the  principal  mines  in  the  Austrian  dominions  are 
situated  in  the  eastern  provinces  of  Hungary  ai^  TransvT 

^^-arisensolelyf^hSlb^^SlilS^f 


Vol.  I. 


:  called 


min. 


132 


AUSTRIAN  DOMINIONS. 


ing  towns.  Chemnitz  is  esteemed  the  principal.  "Hie 
academy  here  instituted  for  the  study  of  mineralogy  is 
highly  respectable,  and  only  rivalled  by  that  of  Freyberg  in 
Saxony.  Hungary  contains  mines  of  copper  at  Schmel- 
nitz  and  Herrengrund ;  of  very  rich  antimony  at  Rosenau ; 
and  in  different  parts  of  coal,  salt,  and  alum.  But  a  mine> 
ral  peculiar  to  Hungary,  and  as  yet  discovered  in  no  other 
region  of  the  globe,  is  the  opal,  a  gem  preferred  to  all 
others  by  the  oriental  nations. 

Natural  Curiosities.  Among  the  natural  cu- 
riosities may  be  named  tht^  grand  Alpine  scenes  of  Tyrol, 
the  glaciers  and  peaks  of  the  Brenner.  In  Carniola  near 
Adlesburg,  is  said  to  be  a  grotto  of  prodigious  extent  dis- 
playing spaces  sufficient  for  the  erection  of  villages,  and 
containing  natural  amphitheatres,  bridges,  &c.  B,ut  the 
chief  natural  curiosity  of  Carniola  is  the  lake  of  Cirknitz, 
called  by  Dr.  Brown  the  Zirchnitzer  See.  That  traveller 
informs  us  that  it  is  about  two  German,  or  more  than  eight 
English  miles  in  length,  by  four  of  the  latter  in  breadth. 
In  the  month  of  June  the  water  descends  under  ground, 
through  many  apertures  in  the  bottom ;  and  in  September 
it  reascends  with  considerable  force  ;  thus  yielding  rich 
pasture  ia  summer,,  while  in  winter  it  abounds  with  fish. 


m 


.J -A' 


PRUSSIA. 


THIS  kingdom  which  only  co-imenced  with  the  eio-h 
teenth  century,  has  by  gradual  accessions,  noV  the  mSt 

western  connected  district,To4e  rher  M*'  el'^^  £f'J 
600  miles.  The  breadth,  from  the  JmhernS'-^V?""' 
to  Dantziclc,  exceeds  300  miles  On  tl^,  „«  f  '"1* 
Prussia  now  borders  on  the  domWon^of  RS'^i^At' 
SeTm  "«i,:r'T '™it»  "djoin  to  the  Sr;ric  of  Hi ." 
numb^-ofVrsil''  s'':bre"c,sT""'"r'  '"  ^"""■''^'^ 
5,62,,500,  in  aZre«t^roV%r44™Lr\°S^^ 

provinces        """">"''  *"<•  ">e  kmgdom  is  divided  into  22 

trace  the  progress  of  £  power.       ^    ^  '  '"  '^"'  P^^^^  *« 

1-    Ihe  emperor  Charles  TV.  in   Mr'?    no.:       j« 
denburg  to  his  second  son  Sigi  m^  ^tTn  f4  f.  f'""- 
then  emperor  of  Germanv  «J7m  fk  .  **'^'  ''^^ng 

torate  tol^ve^JrCllT^Il^li  't^  margraviate  and  elec- 
ducats.  This  prince  warrhe^r  '^,"^^*"^"^g'  for  400,000 
ing  race.        ^  ^^'  ^^^  ^"^^"^^^^  °f  the  present  reign- 


124 


PRUSSIA. 


1 1 


I 


2  Joachin  II.  elector  of  Brandenburg,  embraced  the 
Lutheran  religion  in  1539,  which  has  since  been  the  ruling 
system  of  the  state. 

3.  John  Sigismond  becomes  duke  of  Prussia  in  1 6 1 8. 

4.  Frederic  William,  surnamed  the  great  elector,  suc- 
ceeded his  father  in  1640 ;  and  in  1656  compelled  the  king 
•f  Poland  to  declare  Prussia  an  independent  state,  it  having 
formerly  been  held  of  the  Polish  sovereigns.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded in  1688,  by  his  son. 

5.  Frederic  III.  who,  supporting  the  emperor  in  the 
contest  for  the  Spanish  succession,  was  by  him  declared 
kini^  of  Prussia :  under  which  title  he  was  proclaimed  at 
Konigsberg,  on  the  18th  day  of  January,  1701,  he  himself 
placing  the  crown  upon  his  head. 

6.  Frederic  William  II.  ascended  the  throne  in  1713. 
But  he  was  chiefly  remarkable  as  the  father  of  that  great 

'prince  Frederic,  II.  who  ascended  the  throne  in  1740,  and 
died  in  1786,  after  a  long  and  glorious  reign  ;  the  most  me- 
morable and  lasting  event  of  which  was  the  acquisition  of 
Silesia  from  the  house  of  Austria  in  1 742. 

7.  The  short  reign  of  his  nephew  is  known  to  every 
reader.  The  reign  of  his  son,  the  present  monarch,  has 
hitherto  been  distinguished  by  a  mysterious  coalition  with 
the  French  republic. 

Antiquities.  Some  Slavonic  idols,  cast  in  bronze, 
constitute  almost  the  only  pagan  antiquities ;  and  the  castles, 
and  churches  erected  after  the  introduction  of  the  Chris- 
tian religion,  have  few  singularities  to  attract  particular  at- 
tention. The  Polish  coinage  begins  about  the  twelfth  cen- 
tury, and  is  upon  the  German  model. 

Religion.  The  ruling  reUgion  of  Prussia  is  the 
Protestant,  under  its  two  chief  divisions  of  Lutheran  and 
Calvinistic.  But  after  the  recent  acquisitions  in  Poland 
it  would  seem  that  the  greater  number  of  the  inhabitants 
must  be  Roman  Catholic.  The  universal  toleration  which 
has  been  wisely  embraced  by  the  Prussian  monarchs,  has 
had  its  usual  effect  of  abating  theological  enmity,  and  the 
different  sects  seem  to  live  in  perfect  concord. 

Government,  Sec.  As  no  vestioe  of  any  senate 
or  delegates  from  the  people  is  known  in  this  kingdom,  it 
'.,„«.  u^  .^..^r>Aiin/>Ar1  on  nh«n1iiti^  o-nvprnment  :  but  the  spi- 
1  it  and  f^ood  sense  of  the  nation  unite  with  the  wisdom  and 
mildness  of  successive  monarchs,  to  render  the  sovereignty 


PRUSSIA. 


125 


as  conciliatory,  and  perhaps  more  beneficent,  than  if  cloe- 
ged  with  a  popular  senate.  The  late  great  monarch  re- 
formed many  abuses  in  the  laws ;  but  it  cannot  be  disguised 
that  the  tenor  of  his  government  was  too  military  and 
despotic.  ' 

9'?r  (t^^-^' ,    r  '^^  u  ^^^^  ^^  supposed  to  amount  to  about 

237,000,  including  about  40,000  cavalry.  The  tactics  of  the 

ate  able  sovereign  conferred  distinguished  reputation  on 

Revenues.  Before  the  addition  of  Polish  territory 
the  revenue  was  estimated  at  3,880,000/.  sterling  :  and  thi 
expence  of  the  army  at  2,275,000/.'    Frederic  II. 'laudably 

prrvem:„t'^^^^^  '•"'"""  ^"^^  y^^^^'  '^  '^^^' 
piovement  of  his  dominions.  The  entire  revenue  of  Po- 
land was  not  computed  to  exceed  439,546/.  sterling  If 
we  even  suppose  half  of  this  added  to  the  Prussian  rev^enue 

ncVarard^  ""  ''  '"^'^''^'^"^  P-sia,  howev^rXs 

n^ijf^'^r-'^''''^''  Importance  and  Relations.  The 
political  importance  and  relations  of  this  kingdom  have 
impressed  the  European  history  of  this  century  w^?^  new 
and  distinct  features.  An  alliance  with  PrussL  wouW  be 
ian  i't  h.  th'°  w  i"^P?^"<=e  to  the  Turkish  emp^e  ;  nor 
h^r  Z^.IC::!':''^'''''''  ^°P^^"^^^  Hussia^toe^tend^ 
In  regard  to  the  other  chief  powers  of  Eurooe  Fno-ioT,^ 
Franee,  Russia  and  Austria,  i?  cannot  be  dis^^^^^^^^ 
there  IS  a  natura^  connexion  between  Prussia  a^nd  France 

and  both''''  ^;  "^"'V^  ^^  J^^^°"«  °f  the  AustrLn  powe? 
and  both  are  disposed  to  dismember  Europe.  But  it  w3 

and"  weZ^';  '''"^'''^  '^  ""^^^"'^  -^^^  AS^irrDenma  ^ 
and  bweden,  to  raise  a  power  sufficient  at  once,  to  check 
the  cdossal  strides  of  France  and  Russia.  '  ^ 

Li  2 


I 


126 


PRUSSIA. 


i  ^ 


i! 


men  and  women,  is  commonly  elegant.  That  of  the  gen- 
tlemen is  a  waistcoat  with  sleeves,  over  which  they  wear 
an  upper  robe  of  a  different  colour,  which  reaches  down 
below  the  knee,  and  is  fastened  rsund  the  waist  with  a  sash 
or  girdle ;  the  sleeves  of  this  upper  garment  are,  in  warm 
weather  tied  behind  their  shoulders ;  a  sabre  is  a  necessary 
part  of  their  dress  as  a  mark  of  nobility.  In  summer  the 
robe,  &c.  is  of  silk,  in  winter  of  cloth,  velvet,  or  stuff  edged 
with  fur.  They  wear  fur  caps  or  bonnets,  and  buskins  of 
yellow  leather,  the  heels  of  which  are  platecl  with  iron  op 
steel.  The  dress  of  the  ladies  is  a  simple  polonaise  or  long 
robe,  edged  with  fur." 

Language.  The  ruling  language  of  Prussia  is 
the  German,  which  it  is  probable  may  in  time  supplant  the 
Polish,  in  those  parts  which  are  subject  to  Prussia  and 
Austria. 

Public  Schools.  The  state  of  education  in  this 
country  seems  to  be  equally  neglected  as  in  the  far  greater 
part  of  Europe. 

There  are  however  several  universities,  such  as  that  of 
Frankfort  on  the  Oder,  founded  by  Joachim  elector  of 
jtirandenburg  in  the  year  1516.  Konigsberg,  in  Prussia 
was  founded  in  1544. 

Cities  and  Towns.  Among  the  cities  of  Prussia 
we  can  mention  only  a  few  of  the  chief.  Berlin,  situated 
on  the  banks  of  the  river  Sprey,  is  a  regularly  fortified  city. 
It  was  founded  in  the  twelfth  century,  by  a  colony  from  the 
Netherlands,  and  contains  142,000  inhabitants,  being  about 
four  miles  and  a  half  long  and  Jliree  wide  ;  but  within  this 
inclosure  are  many  gardens,  and  sometimes  even  fields ; 
the  number  of  houses  is  6950.  The  city  is  more  remark- 
able for  the  elegance  of  the  buildings  than  for  its  wealth 
or  industry,  many  beautiful  houses  being  let  in  stories  to 
mechanics.  Next  to  Berhn  may  be  mentioned  Konigs- 
berg, of  which  the  population  is  computed  at  about  52,000. 
This  city  was  founded  in  the  thirteenth  century,  and  is 
well  fortified.  It  maintains  a  considerable  trade  by  the 
river  Pregel,  which  flows  into  the  gulph  of  Dantzick. 

lireslaw,  the  capital  of  Silesia,  has  been  long  celebrated 
as  one  of  the  most  beautiful  cities  in  Germany.  It  is  of 
uncertain  antiquity,  but  was  destroyed  by  tlic  Tatars  in  the 
thirteenth  century.  The  population  is  at  least  equal  to 
that  of  Konigsjjerg ;  and  it  has  several  manufactures,  the 


PRUSSIA. 


127 


linens  of  Silesia  being  particularly  celebrated.     The  rulino- 
religion  is  that  of  Luther.  S 

Among  chief  cities  of  Prussia  must  not  be  forgotten 
W  arsaw,  the  former  capital  of  Poland  ;  and  Dantzick,  an 
md«pendent  city  of  ancient  fame.  Warsaw  stands  partlv 
m  a  plain,  partly  on  a  gentle  ascent  rising  from  the  Vistu- 
la,  but  the  appearance  is  melancholy,  from  the  general  no- 
velty of  Poland  under  its  former  unhappy  government.  The 
population  was  computed  at  70,000,  including  the  unfortu^ 
^nate  suburb  of  Praga. 

Dantzick  contains  about  36,000  inhabitants,  and  was 
known  as  a  commercial  town  even  from  the  tenth  century 
It  was  considered  as  the  chief  city  of  tiie  Hanseatic  leap  ue! 
and  was  enlarged  and  adorned  by  the  knights  of  the  Teu 
tonick  order.  It  must  still  be  considered  as  the  chief  staple 
for  the  exportation  ot  the  corn  and  the  other  products  of 
decline'         "'  ^on^merce  has  been  for  some  time  on  the 

,  Magdeburg  is  supposed  to  hold  about  26,000  souls,  anrt 
IS  strongly  fortified  with  a  citadel  on  an  isle  in  the  Elb" 
This  city  dates  its  origin  from  the  time  of  Charlemagne  * 
and  can  boast  of  elegant  streets  and  flourishing  manu* 
factures  The  Imperialists  taking  it  by  storm  in  1631,  a 
dreadful  slaughter  ensued,  the  inhabitants  who  perished 
being  computed  at  about  1 0,000.  ^ 

Edifices.        Some  of  the  most  splendid  edifices  of 
this  country  adorn  Berlin  the  capital,  such  as  the  paTace 
and  the  theatre.     The  city  itself  is  almost  entirely  buUt 
with  brick,  though  the  fronts  of  the  houses  are  disLised 
with  stucco^     The  palace  at  Potsdam  deserves  superior  an^ 
pause  ;  and  on  an  eminence  near  the  city  stands  the  myal 
villa  of  Sans  Souci,  which  however  can  claim  no  grandeur 
of  external  architecture.     In  general  this  kingdom  yields 
even  to  Russia  in  respect  to  public  edifices.       ^         ^     ^^ 
Manufactures  and  Commerce.         If  we  excent 
the  Imens  of  Silesia,  the  manufactures  of  the  PrussLn  do 
minions  are  of  small  importance.     Yet  they  afforS  for  home 
consumption    glass,  iron,  brass,  paper,  and  wooSen  cloth 
andBredericII.  introduced  a  small  manufacture  of  s  Ik 
Jrlll^^^L!!!?"/^,^  «f  I^-t--.k  consist  almost  entrrelv  of 
■-=.«^-vi,  Will,  luiiovv,  ana  similar  articles. 

If  we  except  the  ancient  staple  of  grain  so  abundant  in 
the  level  plains  of  Poland,  the  commer^ce  of  Prussia  is  cc^" 


138 


PRUSSIA. 


paratively  of  little  consequence.  Amber  is  by  nature  con- 
stituted a  monopoly  of  the  country,  but  fashion  has  I'ender- 
ed  this  branch  of  commerce  insit^nificant.  Yet  amonj^  the 
considerable  exports  may  be  named  excellent  timber  of  all 
kinds,  skins,  leather,  flax,  and  hemp  ;  nor  must  the  linens 
of  Silesia  be  passed  in  silence,  many  of  which  are  sent  into 
Holland,  and  sold  under  the  name  ot  .>jtch  n.anufacture. 
In  return  Prussia  receives  wine,  i ;  ^  '  r  products  of  more 
southern  and  favoured  countries. 

Climatk  AND  Seasons.  'tne  climate  of  the  Prus- 
sian dominions  is,  upon  the  whole,  cold  and  moist.  Bran- 
denburui;  and  Pomerania  may  be  regarded  as  more  free  from 
humidity  than  Prussia  proper,  which  has  about  eight  months 
of  winter,  the  autumns  being  often  deluged  with  rain.  The 
northern  part  of  }*oland  abounds  with  forests  and  marshes, 
•which  cannot  be  supposed  to  render  the  air  salubrious  The 
lower  parts  of  Silesia  arc  regarded  as  the  most  healthy  and 
fertile  iprovinces  of  the  monarchy  :  but  the  southern  and 
western  parts  of  the  duchy,  bordering  on  elevated  mountains, 
long  covered  with  snow,  are  exposed  even  in  summer  to 
severe  freezing  t^ales. 

Soil  and  Agriculture.  The  soil  of  Branden- 
burg is  meagre,  and  even  the  space  between  Berlin  and 
Potsdam  resembles  a  wilderness  ;  but  that  of  Prussian  Po- 
land is  loamy  and  fertile.  The  northern  extremity  of 
Silesia  resembles  Brandenburir,  yet  this  province  is  in  [ge- 
neral extremely  productive,  and  abounds  in  fruits  and  cu- 
linary ve:^etables. 

A'^ricultural  improvements  are  little  known,  and  Bran- 
denburg chiefly  produces  buck  wheat  and  turnips,  with 
scanty  crops  of  rye ;  but  Prussia  proper,  and  the  Polish 
provinces  display  every  kind  of  '^rain,  and  esculent  plant, 
that  can  flourish  under  such  a  latitude  ;  and  among  the  pro- 
ductions of  Silesia  must  be  classed  maize,  and  even  vines, 
but  the  wine  is  of  inferior  quality. 

Rivers  Amon^  the  chief  rivers  of  the  Prussian 

dominions  may  be  flrst  mentioned  the  Kibe,  which  rises 
in  the  S.  of  Bohemia,  and  pervades  the  duchy  of  Magde- 
burg. The  Spree  which  passes  by  Berlin,  falls  into  the 
Havel,  a  tributary  of  the  Elbe      The  Oder  may  be  regarded 

Moravia,  and  after  watering  -Silesia,  Brandenburg,  and  Po- 
merania, joins  the  Baltic,  after  a  course  of  about  350  miles 


lE^M 


PRUSSIA. 


122 


Next  appears  another  noble  stream,  the  Vistula,  which 
rising  in  the  Carpathian  mountains,  passes  Warsaw,  and 
joins  the  sea  near  Dantzick,  after  a  circuit  of  about  450 
miles. 

Lakis.  The  lakes  in  the  Prussian  dominions  arc 
numerous,  especially  in  the  feastern  part,  where  among 
others  may  be  mentioned  the  Spelding  See,  which,  with 
its  creeks,  extends  more  than  twenty  British  miles  in  every 
direction.  That  region  contains  many  other  lakes,  which 
supply  the  sources  of  the  river  Pregel.  And  at  their  estu- 
aries the  rivers  Oder,  Vistula,  and  Memel,  present  singu- 
lar inland  sheets  of  water,  in  the  German  language  called 
Haffs. 

Mountains.  The  only  mountains  in  the  Prussian 
dommions  are  those  of  Silesia,  which  may  be  regarded  as 
a  northern  branch  of  the  Carpathian  chain.  This  branch 
extends  from  Jablunka  S.  E.  to  Friedberg  in  upper  Lusatia, 
N.  W.  near  200  British  miles  in  length,  and  is  called  Sude- 
tische  Gebirge,  or  the  Sudetic  mountains.  In  the  north- 
western parts  of  Silesia  are  also  detached  mountains  of 
considerable  height,  as  the  Spitzberg  and  Gratzberg. 

Vegetable  and  Animal  Productions.  Among 
the  mdigenous  vegetables  of  the  Prussian  dominions  there 
do  not  seem  to  be  any  which  have  not  already  been  suffi- 
ciently noticed  in  the  preceding  accounts  of  Britain  and 
Austria.  Tobacco,  originally  a  native  of  America,  and 
probably  also  of  the  east,  having  been  long  cultivated  in 
Prussia,  has  at  length  established  itself  in  the  soil,  and  is 
found  m  the  ploughed  fields  ad  hedges,  as  a  common 
weed. 

The  breeds  of  horses  and  cattle  seem  not  to  have  im- 
pressed travellers  with  any  distinction  from  those  of  the  ad- 
jacent countries ;  and  few  parts  are  calculated  for  excellent 
breeds  of  sheep.  The  urus,  or  large  and  ferocious  wild 
cattle  of  Lithuania,  have  also  appeared  in  Prussia  proper, 
but  the  race  seems  nearly  extinct.  One  of  its  chief  haunts 
was  the  forest  of  Masavia  not  far  from  Warsaw. 

Minerals.  The  sand  and  plains  of  Prussia  con- 
tain but  few  hidden  treasures.  There  are  some  mines  of 
copper  and  lead  as  well  as  considerable  founderies  of  iron 

m  Silesia.    Aeates.  iasners.  anrl  rnrt  oiMTcfol    ^««.  «i„^  r J 

m  the  bilesian  mountains.    Coal,  a  more  useful  mineral, 


1 3d 


PRUSSIA. 


occurs  in  various  parts  of  Silesia,  and  the   level  district* 
sometimes  offer  good  peat  moors. 

But  the  most  distinguished  and  peculiar  mineral  produc- 
tion of  Prussia  is  amber,  which  is  chiefly  found  on  the  Sam- 
land  shore  of  the  Baltic.  It  is  found  at  the  depth  of  about 
100  feet,  reposing  on  wood  coal,  in  lumps  of  various  size^i 
some  five  pounds  in  weight,  and  is  often  washed  on  shore, 
by  tempests.  It  adds  about  5000/.  )^early  to  the  royal  re- 
v«nue. 


SPAIN. 


SPAIN  appears  to  have  been  known  to  the  Phoenicians, 
who  imported  from  it  large  quantities  of  silver,  near  lOC^ 
years  before  the  birth  of  Christ.  From  the  noble  river  Ibe-us, 
or  Ebro,  the  country  was  called  Iberia;  and  from  its  ex- 
treme  situation  in  the  west  it  was  also  <y  led  Hcsperia.  The 
Komans,  probably  from  a  native  term,  have  fixed  and  hand- 
ed down  Hispama;  which  has  been  variously  adapted  to  the 
idiom  of  modern  languages.  -^       f 

Extent.  Spain  lies  between  the  36th  and  44th  de- 
grees f  north  latitude;  and  its  western  extremity  is  about 
9^  m  longitude  W  from  London.     The  greatest  length 

l^nJn  'Jk  "?  ^""^  ™'l^''  '^^  breadth  N.  to  S.  more 
than  500  ;  thus  forming  almost  a  compact  square  (if  we 
include  Portugal  in  this  general  view  of  the  country),  and 
surrounded  on  all  sides  by  the  sea,  except  where  the  Pv. 
renean  chain  forms  a  grand  natural  barrier  against  France 
Spain  IS  supposed  to  contain  about  148,000  square  miles- 
Which,  estimatmg  the  population  at  11 ,000,000,  vield  74 
persons  to  the  mile  square.  ^ 

^f  ^j^^.^'*^'^^^  Population.  The  original  population 
of  Spam  seems  to  have  consisted  ofCelts  from  Gaul,  a^3 

ex^lle?  t^^^A^"'"^ '  ^?  ^^  *""^^'  ^  "^°^^  ^*rJike  'race, 
expelled  the  former,  and    even  passed  into  Aquitain  in 

France.     After  the  German  Gauls  had  colonizedXe  south 

of  modem  France,  where  they  were  called  Galli  Bracca  L 

S'trthe  Tf'  r^^'^^^^"^  r°  ^^^^^  ^^^  -^-'tte 

region  to  the  N.  E.  becoming  the  Celtiberi  of  clasairal 
geography.  It  is  probable  th^at  the  African  settlet^^^^^^^^ 
not  a  little  assisted  in  th*.  ^'.rT^»io;««  „f  .u •  7,**  . '^ 

by  the  Photnicans,  and  afterwards  by  the  Carthaginians 
whence  the  latter  maintained  such  sway  in  distantT",  5 


132 


SPAIN. 


if  • 


I   ) 


V  ! 


this  country.  Towards  the  east  large  colonies  of  Car» 
thaginians,  and  afterwards  of  Romans  wei^  introduced. 
Ii\the  fifth  century  it  was  conquered  by  the  Vandals; 
but,  being  afterwards  weakened  by  their  settlements  in 
Africa,  they  were  subdued  by  the  Visigoths,  who  founded 
the  modern  kingdom  of  Spain,  and  from  whom  the  more 
ancient  families  still  pretend  to  derive  their  origin.  The 
Mahometan  Moors  having  been  expelled,  they  must  not 
be  considered  in  the  estimate,  though  a  few  families  may- 
be of  Arabian  extract :  and  the  modern  Spaniards  may  be 
considered  as  descended  from  the  African  Iberians,  the 
Celtiberians,  or  German  Gauls,  the  Romans,  and  the  Vi- 
sigoths. 

Historical  Epochs.        The  chief  historical  epochs 

of  Spain  are ; 

1 .  The  original  population  by  the  Africans,  and  German 
Gauls.  • 

2.  The  Carthaginian  acquisitions  in  Spain. 

3.  The  conquest  by  the  Romans,  who  maintained  pos- 
session for  more  than  five  centuries. 

4.  The  subjection  of  Spain  to  the  Vandals,  about  the 
year  415. 

5.  The  conquest  of  Spain  by  the  Visigoths  under  Euric, 
excepting  Galicia,  held  by  the  Suevi,  who  had  entered  with 
the  Vandals.  The  Galirians  have  to  this  day  a  distinct 
character  of  superior  industry.  In  Euric,  A.  D.  472,  com- 
mences the  modern  kingdom  and  history  of  Spain. 

6.  The  conquest  by  the  Arabs,  or  Moot^s,  which  began 
A.  D,  709,  and  soen  extended  over  all  Spain,  except  the 
mountains  of  Asturias,  where  king  Pelagius  maintained  a 
confined  dominion  over  that  district  and  Biscay.  His  de- 
scendants fixed  the  royal  residence  at  Oviedo,  built  in  761, 
and  not  only  Heff.nded  their  small  territory,  which  was  natu- 
rally fortified  w  ith  chains  of  mountains,  but  soon  regained 
Galicia,  and  part  of  Leon  and  Castile.  In  9 1 4,  as  the  terri- 
tory extended  towards  the  south,  the  kings  began  to  reside 
at  Leon,  and  thence  derived  their  title ;  to  which,  in  the 
eleventh  century,  was  added  that  of  Castile.  But  the 
Moors  must  be  regarded  as  the  chief  possessors  of  Spain 
till  the  middle  of  the  thirteenth  century. 

7.  The  reign  of  Alphonso  the  Wise,  which  began  A.  D. 
1252,  and  which  rivalled  those  of  the  Spanish  chaiifs  in 
the  protection  afforded  to  the  arts  and  sciences. 


SPAIN.  ,3j, 

fJ'^7^''''  'i""^"^^^.  "f  the  kingdom  of  Granada,  the  last  of 
the  Moonsh  .oyalues  ;  and  the  junction  of  the  importan 

nanr^.d'lS:/"'  ^''^^^'°"' ^"  ^'^^  ^--^  ^'^^ 

9.  Tlie  rciijn  of  Charles  V.  son  of  Philip  of  Austria  who 

euT  sl'ish':"'  °'k'™^™  """  ^'''«"«'  and  esS^h- 
eu  the  Spanish  monarchyon  its  present  basis.   Ihe  wealth 

of  America  discovered  in  the  lii^n  of  Ferdinand  anTi  a- 

power  o(  Spam  arrived  at  its  zenith, 

10.  Acquisition  of  Portugal  by  Philip  II.  A.  D.  1580 

•  .  Ihe  revolt  of  Portugal  under  Philip  IV.  AD 
lo40  which  has  since  existed  as  a  separate  kir^'om" 
after  h,.mg  b.en  subjecUo  the  Spaniards'^ for  tix^/^^:,^' 
of  rh,  1  f?™""'"""  °f  "^'  ^"""an  dynas-y  by  the  eath 
house  rfni,;,"™"'''"  I.  l.roo,  and  the  acces^sion  of  the 
sequence  IZ^:,^:"'"'  "*""  '""'^'''  °'  »'"«"'-  "«• 

Spuin^'r^t"o''four.een''^rovre's;:L'r  '"-■'"™''™»    "' 

ourth^ure^^eSSlsTn-r  «'t™""--r,  so  numer- 
and  foreign  tolh'raSrirtw'^rrk^'^'^'-ir "  'T""'" 

main  of  antrquitv      Ta,r„     '  P:"™'^™any  curious  re- 

coiL' wMlXCsl-tSit'ld'- a  'Z  r'r-  ^"-P'  'h-' 
the  other  Europea'minTs.'k^nd  'se*  mfng  Jfjive"'"''™  '" 

ins^;s:s;;;pi;tiX^'t^^^^^^ 

Mooi^sh  palace  in  Granada'  ""*''''^-''"'='«"t 

encornpasst.1  by  a  flower  border. 


Vol.  I. 


M 


each  end  is  a  coion- 


454 


SPAIN. 


I 


nadc.  FroTn|hencc  you  pass  into  the  court  of  the  lions,  so 
called  becausci  the  fountain  in  the  middle  is  supported  by 
thirteen  lions  It  is  adorned  with  a  colonnade  of  140  mar- 
ble pillars.  The  royal  bedchamber  has  two  alcoves,  adorn- 
ed with  columns,  and  a  fountain  between  them  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  room.  Adjoining  to  this  are  two  hot  baths. 
The  great  hal'  >  about  40  feet  square,  and  60  in  height, 
with  eight  wiuuows  and  two  doors,  all  in  deep  recesses. 
Between  this  and  the  oblong  court  is  a  gallery  of  90  feet 
by  1 6.  All  these  lower  apartments  have  fountains,  and  are 
paved  either  with  tiles  or  marble  in  checkers.  The  idea 
of  the  ceilings  is  evidently  taken  from  stalactites^  or  drop- 
stones,  found  in  the  roofs  of  natural  caverns.  The  orna- 
ments of  the  friezes  are  arabesque,  and  perfectly  accord 
with  Arabic  inscriptions,  which  are  here  suited  to  the 
purpose  for  which  each  apartment  was  designed."  Above 
is  a  suit  of  elegant  apartments  for  the  winter.  This  edifice 
^vas  finished  A.  D.  1336. 

Religion.  The  religion  of  Spain  is  the  Roman 
Catholic,  which  in  this  country  and  Portugal  has  been  car- 
ried to  a  pitch  of  fanaticism  unknown  to  the  Italian  states, 
or  even  to  the  papal  territory  ;  though  the  evil  has  been  re- 
cently subdued  in  a  considerable  degree. 

The  clergy  and  religious  in  Spain,  including  the  various 
orders  of  monks  and  nuns,  are  very  numerous,  amounting 

to  118,625. 

The  archbishoprics  are  eight :  bishoprics  forty -six.  The 
most  opulent  see  is  that  of  Toledo,  which  is  supposed  to 
yield  annually  about  90,000/.  The  Mozarabic  Missal, 
composed  by  St.  Isidore  for  the  Cothic  church,  after  the 
conversion  from  Arianism  to  the  Catholic  faith,  continued 
to  be  used  in  Spain  till  the  Moors  were  subdued,  when  the 
Roman  form  was  introduced.     , 

Government.  The  government  of  Spain  is  well 
known  to  be  despotic,  the  states  or  cortes  having  hardly 
been  assembled  since  the  time  of  Charles  V.  But  the  des- 
potism of  the  monarchy  is  here  balanced  by  the  power  of 
the  church,  to  which  the  nobles  are  submissive  devotees. 
It  is  also  tempered  by  many  councils,  who  are  responsible 
for  any  unwise  or  unsuccessful  measures,  and  the  subject 

!_    1 I    U«r  *\-.^    -ry.ry.tfj d^vt    r\f  i'Xyx^    t^ffwvm      tVlon    ITI    SfJITie 

iS   iC33  UjjpiCSOCU    VJJ    vuv    pT.ATT_I    \ji.    iiii^    ^' • j 

©ther  states  where  there  is  a  greater  appearance  of  liberty. 


i  various 


in  snrne 


SPAIN.  ,35 

The  hwa  of  Spain  are  contained  in  several  ancient 
codes ;  and  recourse  is  also  had  to  the  civil  and  canon 
law.  1  he  Af,crivano.H  are  numerous,  and  instead  of  ex- 
plaining  the  codes,  often  impede  the  administration  of 
justice.  Mistaken  mercy  frequently  retains  criminals  in 
long  durance,  so  that  when  they  are  executed  their  offence 
IS  torKotten,  and  the  example  of  punishment  becomes  in- 
eflicacious. 

Population.  The  population  of  this  kingdom  is 
computed  at  1,000,000,  or  74  to  a  square  mile  ;  while  the 
kingdom  of  Naples  is  computed  at  20 1 .  This  striking  de- 
icct  of  population  has  been  attributed  to  the  expulsion  of 
hv  Ph-r  iif^}^^  conquest  of  Granada ;  that  of  the  Moors 
nLv:n  '^  .V  -^  contagious  fevers  frequent  in  the  southern 
f^TJ^r"" '  ^''^.'""ss^nt  intestine  wars,  for  seven  centuries 
earned  on  against  the  Moors ;  the  emigrations  to  America, 
and  the  vast  numbers  of  unmarried  clergy  and  monks, 
ranged  r  ^*'^''         '  ^^^  P°P"^^*^°»  ^^  ^P^in  was  thus  ar- 

Males  unmarried,  ......  2,926,229 

Females  ditto,  2,753  224 

Married  Men,  ....  i  947  ifi-; 

Married  Women,  ...;;;  j^'L's,'  9 

^^'^^^^^  462:258 

10,032,372 

,.f .  ^^^'"^  J'''''  ^''''^'  '^^^  Spanish  armies,  instead 
of  carrying  terror  even  into  the  bravest  countries  of  Eu- 
rope,  as  hey  did  two  centuries  ago,  are  now  neither  distin- 
guished  by  number,  nor  by  discipline.  They  are  crmWed 
tendon  to  h''"'-  ""^  ^^^^  Spain  has  paid  ^0!^^ 
tention  to  her  navy,  which  has  however  been  crippled  in 
the  recent  warfare  with  England.  The  ships  of  the  line 
can  scarcely  now  be  computed  at  less  than  fifty 
lated  aTrr?-     A  1't^^  revenue  of  Spain  may  be  calcu- 

monev'  othir'^^"'  ^""  '"'"^^"^  ^"'^  ^  ^^If  sterling 
money  so  that  each  person  pays  ten  shillings  to  govern- 
inent  for  protection.  In  France,  under  the^ld  foverS- 
inent,each  person  paid  near  twenty  shillings ;  in  E^nXnd 
at  present  sixtv  shiIi;nn.o  -vu^  L^l.'"^  '  ^"  J^ngiand 
orexceeflB  th«';nTZ''^u  ""=  ^^pc""«ure  now  equals, 
tri4  '"'^'*'"^ '  •""*  ^^^  "^^ional  debt  is  a  mere 


13& 


SPAIN. 


Political  Importance  and  Relations.  The 
political  importance  and  relations  of  Spain  were  formerly 
deeply  impressed  on  most  rei^ions  of  the  globe.  But  this 
fertile  kingdom  has  be  .ome  almost  a  cypher  in  European 
policy.  Setting  aside  ir'ortugaU  the  position  of  Spain  se- 
cures her  from  any  invasion,  except  on  the  side  of  France ; 
and  it  becomes  therefore  the  insuperable  interest  of  this  ex- 
hausted state  to  cultivate  amity  with  her  powerful  neigh- 
bour, which  must  maintain  an  unavoidable  and  supreme  as- 
cendant, from  geographical  position  and  relative  force. 
What  a  spirited  and  popular  monarch  might  do  to  shake  off 
this  servile  dependance,  can  only  be  guessed  at. 

Manners  and  Customs.  In  speaking  of  the  re- 
ligion of  Spain,  one  of  the  most  striking  of  the  national 
customs  and  manners  is  the  common  practice  of  adultery 
under  the  mask  of  religion. 

Exclusive  of  this  vice,  the  Spanish  character  is  highly 
respectable  for  integrity  and  a  long  train  of  virtues.  Con- 
scious of  an  upright  and  noble  mind,  the  respect  which  a 
Spaniard  would  pay  to  those  qualities  in  others,  is  often 
centered  in  himself,  as  he  is  intimately  sensible  that  he 
possesses  them.  This  self-respect  is  nearly  allied  to  pride ; 
but  it  is  the  pride  of  virtue,  which  certainly  ought  not  to 
humble  itself  before  vice  and  folly.  Temperance  is  a  vir- 
tue which  the  Spaniard  shares  in  common  with  other 
southern  nations.  In  these  countries  the  body  is  so  much 
exhausted  by  the  influence  of  heat,  that  the  siesta,  or  short 
sleep  in  the  middle  of  the  day,  becomes  a  necessary  re- 
source of  nature,  and  is  by  habit  continued  even  in  the 
winter. 

The  chief  defect  in  the  character  of  the  Spanish  nobi- 
lity and  gentry  is,  their  aversion  to  agriculture  and  com- 
merce. Instead  of  those  beautiful  villas,  and  opulent  farms 
which  enrich  the  whole  extent  of  England,  the  Spanish  ar- 
chitecture is  almost  confined  to  the  capital,  and  a  few  other 
cities  and  towns. 

Since  the  accession  of  the  house  of  Bourbon,  a  slight 
shade  of  French  manners  has  been  blended  with  the  Spa- 
nish gravity.  But  fashions  have  here  little  sway;  and  the 
prohibition  of  slouched  hats  and  long  cloaks  led  to  a  seri- 
ous insurrection.  The  houses  of  the  great  are  large  and 
capacious ;  but  the  cottages  and  inns  are,  on  the  contrary, 
miserable. 


The         m 

brmerly         1 

But  this         1 

uropean          1 

tpain  se-          1 

France ;          1 

'this  ex-           1 

1  neigh-          J 

reme  as-           i 

e  force.          1 

ihake  off        J 

f  the  re-         1 

national        •  1 

adultery 

i  highly 

J.     Con- 

which  a       [  | 

is  often       l. 

that  he       H 

o  pride ;       H 

bt  not  to       H 

is  a  vir-       H 

th  other       H 

so  much       H 

or  short       H 

isary  re-       H 

n  in  the       H 

ish  nobi-       H 

nd  com-       S 

nt  farms       S 

mish  ar-       fl 

iW  othel*       S 

a  slight       ,M 

the  Spa-       S 

and  the       ,9 

o  a  seri-      ^g 

arge  and      ™ 

:ontrary,     1  f 

SPAIN. 


137" 


•  The  amusements  of  people  of  rank  chiefly  consist  in 
dancing  and  cards ;  but  the  combats  with  bulls  in  the  am- 
phitheatres  have  justly  been  regarded  as  the  most  striking 
feature  of  Spanish  and  Portuguese  manners.  That  such 
spectacles  tend  to  familiarise  the  people  with  bloodshed, 
seems  an  idle  theory,  unwarranted  by  tacts.  Modern  Italy 
has  no  gladiators,  but  numerous  assassins ;  ancient  Rome 
had  scarcely  one  assassin,  but  whole  armies  of  gladiators. 

Language.  The  Spanish  language  is  one  of  the 
three  great  southern  dialects  which  spring  from  the  Ro- 
man ;  but  many  of  the  words  become  difficult  to  the  French 
or  Italian  student,  because  they  are  derived  from  the 
Arabic,  used  by  the  Moors,  who  for  seven  centuries  held 
dominion  in  this  country.  The  speech  is  grave,  sonorous, 
and  ot  exquisite  melody,  containing  much  of  the  slow  and 
lormal  manner  of  the  Orientals,  who  seem  sensible  that 
the  power  of  speech  js  a  privilege. 

Public  Schools..  The  universities,  or  rather  aca- 
aemies,  m  fc)pain,  are  computed  at  upwards  of  twenty  ;  of 
which  the  most  noted  is  that  of  Salamanca,  founded  in  the 

regulated  by  Alphonso  the  Wise.  The  students  have,  at 
lormer  periods,  been  computed  at  16,000  ;  and  even  nW 
the  reign  of  Aristotle  m  logic  and  natural  philosophy,  and 
fL  TT  ^"^T?^  '"  theology,  continues  unviolaledi  so 
that  a  student  of  the  year  1800  may  aspire  to  as  much  1^- 
norance  as  one  of  the  year  1 300.  In  1 785  the  number  of 
students  was  computed  at  1909.  The  same  antiquated 
teachers  are  received  with  implicit  faith  in  the  other  un^ 

TerStrrated.'  """  ''""^  ^'"^^^^^»  ''  ^^^^^  --^«^« 

whil.^sliwf  • ''''  '^°'^'!.'-        ^^^"d'  ^^^  royal  residence, 
while  Seville  is  esteemed  the  capital  of  Spain,  is  of  receS 

'rnobimv  Tn"-  '"'  "^^'^^^^^^'  ^'^  ^°-'  -^  MadridS 
the  nobility,  in  consequence,  erecting  numerous  palaces 

leur  Th'i^  °^f  "'^  town  began  to  Lume  an  air  of  gran, 
fo,  th.  n  •  ^^"^"^^1  position  seems  the  chief  advantage, 
ior  the  environs  can  boast  of  little  beauty  or  variety  Th  J 
nver  Man^enares  is  in  winter  a  torrent^  butTryn  sim! 
mer:  over  it  is  an  eleirant  hHrl...  »,u,^u  '    _.  _:_^   ,   ^""^ 

^iT^t^'V^  briSg^  shouM  ^^^tt<L?^ 

WS  housT32  rA  f'  T'^P«'»«  ^o^tains  13  parishes, 

,^J«  houses,  32,745  families,  amounting  to  a  population 


138 


SPAIN. 


of  147,543.  The  convents  are  66 ;  and  there  are  fifteen 
gates  of  granite,  many  of  which  are  elegant.  The  chief  is 
the  Puer*.a  de  Alcala,  of  hree  arches,  the  central  being  70 
feet  in  height.  The  churches  and  monasteries  contain 
many  noble  paintings,  and  the  royal  palaces  display  consi- 
derable magnificence.  The  new  palace  presents  four  fronts 
of  470  feet  in  length,  and  100  in  height,  enriched  with  nu- 
merous pillars  and  pilasters.  The  foundation  was  laid  in 
1737,  three  years  after  the  ancient  palace  had  fallen  a  sa- 
crifice to  the  flames.  The  audience  chamber  is  deservedly 
admired,  being  a  double  cube  of  90  feet,  hung  with  crim- 
son velvet,  and  adorned  with  a  sumptuous  canopy  and 
painted  ceiling.  The  pradc  is  a  spacious  course,  in  which 
the  great  display  their  elegant  equipages. 

Next  Cadiz:  the  commerce  of  America  formerly  cen- 
tered at  Seville^was  afterwards  removed  to  this  city,  which 
is  supposed  to  ^tain  about  70,000  souls.  The  two  ca- 
thedrals are  grand ;  and  there  is  a  hospital  which  will  con- 
tain 6000  patients.  The  hospicio,  or  general  workhouf5e, 
is  an  interesting  establishment,  containing  more  than  600 
poor  of  all  ages,  who  are  here  trained  to  industry. 

Malaga  is  esteemed  the  second  port  in  the  kingdom,  and 
is  also  celebrated  for  excellent  wines,  the  rich  Malaga,  the 
mountain,  so  called  from  the  hills  which  produce  the  grape, 
and  the  tent  or  tinto,  so  styled  from  its  deep  red  tinge. 
Malaga  stands  in  a  valley  surrounded  with  hills,  the  houses 
high,  the  streets  narrow  and  dirty.  Inhabitants  about 
40,000;  the  cathedral  begun  in  1528  is  not  yet  finished; 
the  convents  are  25,  but  of  small  account.  The  city 
«warms  with  thieves  and  mendicants. 

Towards  the  S.  E.  is  the  third  most  considerable  port  of 
Spain,  that  of  Barcelona.  The  streets  are  narrow  and 
crooked ;  the  churches  rather  rich  than  beautiful.  The 
hospicio  contains  about  1400  industrious  poor,  and  there  is 
a  house  of  correction  which  sometimes  includes  even  wo- 
men of  rank,  if  guilty  of  drunkenness  or  other  low  vices. 
The  inhabitants  of  Barcelona  are  computed  at  more  than 
100,000 ;  and  industry  prevails  here,  being  a  native  virtue 
of  the  Catalonians :  the  chief  manufactures  are  silk,  cotton, 
and  wool,  excellent  fire-arms  and  cutlery ;  the  chief  im- 
ports, corn,  fish,  and  woollen  goods ;  exports,  wine,  brandy, 
cloth,  and  leather.    During  peace  it  is  supposed  that  1000 


SPAIN. 


139 


vessels  enter  this  port ;  of  which  half  are  Spanish,  120 
French,  100  English,  and  60  Danes. 

In  the  southern  provinces  appears  Seville,  famous  till  the 
year  1720,  as  the  mart  of  American  trade.  The  inhabitants 
are  computed  at  80,000  ;  and  the  churches  and  convents 
are  opulent  and  beautiful.  The  chief  manufactures  are 
silk,  and  recently  snuflFs  (a  royal  monopoly),  not  only  the 
common  Spanish,  but  rappee,  as  it  was  found  that  the  latter 
was  smuggled  from  France.  The  tobacco  employs  220 
manufacturers,  who  are  strictly  examined  and  guarded  Se- 
ville IS  esteemed  the  chief  city  of  Spain.  Madrid  beine 
only  a  toim  distinguished  by  the  royal  residence. 

Granada  has  been  long  celebrated  as  the  paradiseof  Spain, 
though  the  southern  provinces  be  in  general  unhealthy. 
1  his  city  stands  in  a  vale  bounded  by  hills,  beyond  which 
to  the  south  is  the  Sierra  Nevada,  so  called  because  the 
mountains  are  covered  with  perpetual  snow.  The  inhabi- 
tants are  supposed  to  be  80,000  ;  the  Moorish  palace  here 
has  been  already  described  ;  and  adjoining  is  a  palace  erect- 
ed by  Charles  V.  The  cathedral  and  convents  contain  ex- 
cellent pictures  by  Spanish  masters.  The  municipal  go- 
vernment IS  in  a  corregidor  and  twenty-four  regidors. 
1  here  are  beautiful  public  walks,  and  the  environs  are  de- 
hghtful  and  well  cultivated. 

Edifices.        The  most  remarkable  edifices  of  Spain 
are  the  cathedrals  of  the  several  sees,  and  the  churchesbe- 
lon><ing  to  opulent  convents.     The  houses  of  the  nobility 
are  confin.id,  with  few  exceptions,  to  the  capital  and  other 
cities,  instead  of  adorning  the  country  at  large  as  in  Enc- 
land.     1  he  palace  and  monastery  of  the  E scurial  have  been 
described  at  great  length  by  many  travellers.     It  is  seated 
m  a  deep  recess,  at  the  foot  of  high  mountains  ;  and  was 
bu.lt  by  that  bigot  Philip  II.  in  thg  gtrange  fonn  of  a  prid! 
iron,  the  instrument  of  the  martyrdom  of  St.  Lawrence 
upon  whose  fomiversary  the  Spaniards  gained  the  victory 
ot  -t.  Quinim.     The  convent  is  740  feet  by  580  :  and  the 
palace  forms  the  handle  of  this  imaginary  gridiron      The 
paintings  are  excellent  and  numerous  ;  and  the  vault  con- 
taining the  royal  tombs  is  grand  and  impressive.     But  the 

wuHhe^comr-'""  ^^  ^^'  "^^^**"^^  are  greater  favourites 

qn.;i''!'K^'''*u^'''''°^'''°''-        The  inland  navigations  of 
apain,  though  commenced  upon  united  principles  of  graft* 


Ill 

i; 


140 


SPAIN. 


> 
deur  and  utility,  have  been  permitted  to  languish  through 
the  want  of  resources,  and  the  slow  measures  of  the  court, 
rather  than  by  any  indolence  of  the  superintendants  and 
labourers.  The  great  canal  of  Arragon  seems  to  remain 
in  a  state  of  imperfection,  though  we  are  told  that  two 
branches  are  completed  from  the  Ebro  towards  Navarre, 
and  have  been  attended  with  the  most  beneficial  consequen- 
ces. Another  canal  was  to  begin  at  Segovia,  or  about  40 
miles  N.  of  Madrid,  thence  to  extend  to  the  bay  of  Biscay. 
This  is  termed  the  canal  of  Castile.  The  canal  of  Guada- 
rama  was  conducted  with  more  spirit,  and  is  probably  com- 
pleted. It  was  to  open  near  the  Escurial  and  proceed  south 
to  the  TaJQ  or  Tagus. 

Manufactures  and  Commerce.  The  manufac- 
tures of  Spain  are  considerably  checked  by  the  royal  mo- 
nopolies. 

Many  manufactures  are  however  conducted  in  Spain 
with  great  spirit  and  assiduity  ;  and  any  failure  must  not 
be  imputed  so  much  to  the  indolence  of  the  people,  as  to 
the  prejudices  of  the  great,  and  the  inquisitorial  power  of 
the  ecclesiastics,  which  cramps  genius  and  invention  of 
all  kinds,  and  constrains  the  mind  to  the  same  perpetual 
circle.  Spain  supplies  wines,  oil,  fruits,  silk,  leather,  broad 
cloth,  and  other  articles  to  many  European  countries  ;  but 
her  chief  trade  is  with  her  own  colonies  in  America.  The 
soil  of  Spain  is  exuberant  in  the  production  of  saltpetre  ; 
and  the  barilla,  used  in  making  glass,  has  been  long  cele- 
brated. 

In  the  year  1784,  the  exports  from  Spain  to  America 
were  thus  computed  in  pounds  sterling  :  .   . 

Spanish  produce  1,958,849/.  Foreign  produce  2,389,229/, 
Total  4,348,078/. 

The  duties  were  cdW^uted  at  1 70,800/. 

The  imports  from  America  to  Spain  were,  at  the  same 
time,  thus  estimated  in  the  same  money  : 

Money  and  jewels  9,291,237/.    Merchandize  3,343,936/. 

The  duty  amounted  to  more  than  half  a  million. 

Climate  and  Seasons.  The  climate  of  Spain 
has  been  deservedly  praised,  as  equal  if  not  superior  to 
that  of  any  country  in  Kurope  ;  in  the  south  the  Seabreeze, 
beginning  about  nine  in  the  morning  and  continuing  till 
five  in  the  evening,  agreeably  diversifies  the  warmth  of  the 
summer ;  and  in  the  northern  provinces  the  severity  of 


SPAIN. 


141 


m 


mnter  is  allayed  by  the  proximity  of  the  ocean,  which  ge- 
nerally supplies  gales  rather  humid  than  frosty. 

Soil  and  Agriculture.         The  soil  is  generally 
light,  and  reposes  on  beds  of  gypsum  or  plaister  of  Paris, 
itself  an  excellent  manure.     "  'Ihe  common  course  of  hus- 
bandry about  Barcelona  begins  with  wheat ;  which  being 
ripe  in  June,  is  immediately  succeeded   by  Indian  corn, 
hemp,  millet,  cabbage,  kidney-beans,  or  lettuce.     The  se- 
cond year  these  same  crops  succeed  each  other  as  before, 
The  next  year  they  take  barley,  beans,  or  vetches  ;  which, 
coming  off  the  ground  before  midsummer,  are  followed 
as  m  the  former  years,  by  other  crops,  only  changing  them 
according  to  the  season,  so  as  to  have  on  the  same  spot 
the  greatest  possible  variety."     The  Iluerta,  or  rich  vale 
of  Ahcant,  yields  a  perpetual  succession  of  crops.     Barley 
IS  sown  in  September,  reaped  in  April,  succeeded  by  maize, 
reaped  m  September  ;  and  a  mixed  crop  of  esculents  follow. 
Wheat  IS  sown  in  November,  and  reaped  in  June  ;  flax  in 
September,  pulled  in  May.     In  the  vale  of  Valencia  wheat 
yields  from  twenty  to  forty  ;  barley  from  eighteen  to  twenty- 
four;  oats  from  twenty  to  thirty;  maize  one  hundred ;  rice 
forty.     In  the  more  southern  provinces  the  land  is  almost 
equally  fertile  ;  and  the  sugar-cane  is  cultivated  with  suc- 
cess near  Granada.     Agriculture  is  greatly  impeded  in 
Spam  by  the  superior  attention  paid  to  the  large  flocks  of 
sheep,  which  are  authorized  by  a  special  code,  the  mesta, 
to  travel  from  one  province  to  another,  as  the  season  pre- 
sents pasturage  in  the  vales,  or  on  the  mountains.     Ihe 
Merino  sheep,  or  flocks,  thus  privileged,  are  computed  at 
5,000,000  ;  and  one  nobleman  has  sometimes  40,000.    'i'he 
fleece  is  esteemed  double  in  value  to  that  of  other  sheep  • 
but  the  checks  given  to  agriculture  by  such  privileges,  un- 
known to  all  other  countries,  are  incalculable. 

Rivers.  Among  the  chief  rivers  of  Spain  may  be 
named  the  Lbro,  which  anciently  conferred  an  appellation 
on  the  country.  This  noble  stream  rises  in  the  mountains 
ot  Astunas,  and  enters  the  Mediterranean  sea,  after  havJns: 
run  about  380  G.  miles.  The  other  rivers  running  to  the 
east  are  of  less  importance,  as  the  Guadalavir,  the  Xucar, 
and  the  Segura,  which  enlivens  the  fertile  vales  of  Murcia 
xowards  the  west  occurs  the  Guadalquivir,  the  ancient 
iiaetisi  which  gave  name  to  the  province.  This  river  ori- 
ginates m  the  Sierra  Morena,  and  flows  into  the  gulph  of 


143 


SPAIN. 


Cadiz,  after  a  course  of  near  300  G.  miles.  But  the  chief 
river  of  Spain  and  Portugal  is  the  Tajo,  or  Tagus,  which 
rises  in  the  west  of  Arragon,  near  Albarracin,  in  a  spring 
called  Abrega,  and  holds  a  course  of  about  450  G.  miles. 
The  Douro  springs  near  the  ruins  of  ancient  Numantia  ; 
and  Its  course  may  be  computed  at  350  G.  miles. 

Mountains.  The  Spanish  mountains  are  arranged 
by  nature  in  several  distinct  chains.  The  most  northern  is 
regarded  as  a  continuation  of  the  Pyrenees,  passing  on  the 
S.  of  Biscay  and  the  Asturias  in  Galicia. 

The  second  chain  of  Spanish  mountains  extends  from 
near  Soria  on  the  N.  E.  and  pursues  a  S.  W.  direction  to- 
wards Portugal.  The* third  is  that  of  Toledo,  running  near- 
ly parallel  with  the  last.  These  two  central  chains  seem  to 
contain  great  quantities  of  granite. 

Next  towards  the  S.  is  the  Sierra  Morena,  or  Brown 
Mountains,  which  are  followed  by  the  most  southern  ridge, 
that  of  the  Sierra  Nevada. 

On  the  east  there  is  a  considerable  chain,  which  connects 
the  two  central  ridges,  and  advances  towai*ds  the  Mediter- 
ranean  in  the  north  of  Valencia. 

A  remarkable  solitary  mountain,  not  far  from  Barcelona, 
must  not  be  omitted.  At  a  distance  Montserrat  appears 
like  a  sugar-loaf ;  but  on  a  nearer  approach  seems  jagged 
like  a  saw,  with  pyramidical  rocks  ;  it  is  composed  of  lime- 
stone  and  gravel,  united  by  calcareous  cement ;  and  is  of 
such  a  height  that  from  its  summit  may  be  discerned  the 
islandsof  Majorca  and  Minorca,  at  the  distance  of  50  leagues. 
Not  far  froni  Montserrat,  near  the  village  of  Cardona,  is  a 
hill  three  miles  in  circumference,  which  is  one  mass  of 
rock  salt,  used  in  the  dry  climate  of  Spain  for  vases,  snuff- 
boxes, and  trinkets,  like  our  Derbyshire  spar. 

The  Spanish  side  of  the  Pyrenees  has  not  been  accurate- 
ly  examined  ;  and  as  the  French  mineralogists  have  amply 
illustrated  the  part  belonging  to  France,  an  account  of 
these  mountains  has  been  given  in  the  description  of  that 
country. 

Vegetable  and  Animal  Productions.  The 
soil  of  Spain  was  anciently  very  fruitful  in  corn  ;  but  there 
has  lately  been  some  scarcity,  by  the  neglect  of  tillage, 
through  indolence.  It  produces  in  many  places,  almost 
spontaneously,  the  richest  and  most  dciicious  fruits  that 
are  to  be  found  in  France  and  Italy ;  oranges,  lemon8> 


SPAIN. 


14S 


prunes,  citrons,  almonds,  raisins,  and  figs.  The  wines  of 
Spam,  especially  sack  and  sherry,  are  in  high  credit  amonir 
foreigners.  In  the  district  of  Malaga,  alone  there  are 
14,000  wnie  presses.  1  he  sii^ar  canes  thrive  in  Spain,  and 
It  yn-lds  saffron,  honey,  and  silk  in  abundance. 

The  sheep-walks  arc  for  the  most  part  open  downs  with 
little  shelter,  except  here  and  there  a  grove  of  chesnut 
trees,  or  evergreen  oaks;  the  turf  differs  essentially  from 
that  of  the  English  sheep-walks  in  containing  very  few  spe- 
cies of  grass,,  being  chiefly  composed  of  the  smaller  DaDili- 
onaceous  plants.  ^  ^ 

The  glory  of  the  Spanish  zoology  is  the  horse,  which  has 
Deen  tamous  in  ^11  ages,  probably  originating  from  the  barb, 
or  beautiful  and  spirited  steed  from  the  north  of  Africa,  the 
immediate  offspring  of  the  Arabian.  The  Spanish  mules 
are  also  excellent,  and  the  ass  is  here  no  ignoble  animal, 
hough  not  equal  to  that  of  Arabia.  The  breed  of  sheen 
woHH*'^?  ?v?  celebrated  as  perhaps  superior  to  any  in  the 
world,  for  the  delicacy  of  the  mutton,  and  the  beauty  of 
the  fleece.  The  purity  of  the  air,  and  aromatic  pasture,  no 
doubt  contribute  to  both  qualities,  which  it  is  to  be  suspected 
would  degenerate  on  transportation. 

Minerals.         The  mineralogy  of  Spain  was  ancient- 
ly ot  more  importance  than  in  modern  times.     Plinv,  after 
observmg  that  silver  was  generally  found  with  galena  or 
lead  ore,  proceeds  to  state  that  the  fairest  of  all  silver,  was 
tound  in  Spain,  where  the  pits  begun  by  Hannibal,  lasted  to 
his  time,  being  known  by  the  names  of  their  original  dis- 
coverers.    1  hat  called  Babelo  had  yielded  to  HanSibal  300 
weight  a  day ,  a  mountain  being  pierced  for  a  mile  and  a  half, 
hrough  which  the  workmen  directed  large  streams  of  wa- 
It  so  that  the  plan  pursued  seems  to  have  been  that  call- 
ed hushmg  by  modern  writers.     Strabo  informs  us  that  the 
provmce  of  the  Turditani,  modern  Andalusia,  was  the  most 

Tr'n'Tr:  n  ^^'^l^^^f^  ^  -^  gold,  sihir,  bra's,  and 
iron,  were  no  where  found  more  abundant,  nor  of  better 
quality  ;  gold  was  found  in  the  sands  of  the  rivers  and  tor- 
rents, a  known  attribute  of  the  Tagus.  I  olybius  informs 
us  concermngthe  mines  of  silver  near  Carthagena,  vvhiTh 

Ts7ot:^:z^Znl:'''''''^''''  ^"'  '''''^'  '^  '^^  «-- 

At  present  almost  the  only  silver  mines  in  Spain  are 
Oiose  of  Guadalcanal,  m  the  Sierra  Morena.    At  Almaden 


144 


SPAIN. 


in  La  Mancha  are  valuable  mines  of  quicksilver,  which  are 
chiefly  remitted  to  Spanish  America,  and  employed  in  re- 
fining the  more  precious  metals.  Calamine  appears  near 
Alcavas  ;  cobalt  in  the  Pyrenees ;  antimony  in  i.a  Mancha  ; 
copper  on  the  frontiers  of  Portugal ;  tin  in  Galicia ;  and 
lead  is  common  in  many  districts.  The  iron  of  Spain  is 
abundant,  and  stiil  maintains  its  high  character  ;  and  coals 
are  found  in  the  district  of  Villa  Iranca,  in  Catalonia,  where 
also  occur  gold,  silver,  copper,  and  lead.  Amber  and  jet 
(in  Spanish  Azabache)  are  found  together  in  the  territory 
of  Beloncia  in  the  Asturias. 


SPANISH  ISLES. 


The  chief  circumjacent  islands  belonging  to  Spain  are 
Majorca,  Minorca,  and  Eviza.  Majorca  is  about  55  Eng- 
lish miles  in  length,  by  45  in  breadth.  The  N.  W.  part 
is  hilly  :  the  rest  abounds  with  cultivated  land,  vineyards, 
orchards,  and  meadow  ;  the  air  is  temperate,  and  the  honey 
highly  esteemed  :  there  is  generally  a  considerable  milita- 
ry force  in  the  isle.  The  capital,  seated  on  a  fair  bay,  is 
an  elegant  city,  and  is  supposed  to  contain  10,000  inhabi- 
tants. Majorca  was  reconquered  from  the  Moors  by  James 
I.  king  of  Arragon  in  1229. 

Majorca  is  generally  in  too  strong  a  state  of  defence  to 
admit  of  an  easy  conquest,  but-A^Unorca  has  been  repeated- 
ly seized  by  the  En<,>lish,  to  whom  it  presents  an  advan- 
tageous station  for  the  Mediterranean  trade.  It  is  about 
30  miles  in  length,  by  about  12  of  medial  breadth.  The 
air  is  moist,  and  the  soil  rather  barren,  being  chiefly  calca- 
reous with  lead,  and  fine  marble.  The  wine  is  praised  ; 
and  the  inhabitants  retain  a  share  of  their  ancient  reputa- 
tion as  excellent  slingers.  Cittadella  the  capital,  has  a  to- 
lerable haven,  but  the  population  and  fortifications  are  of 
little  consequence.  Port-Mahon  on  the  S.  E.  has  an  ex- 
cellent harbour  and  received  its  name  from  Mago  the  Car- 
thaginian general.  Eviza  is  the  nearest  to  Spain,  about  15 
miles  long  and  12  broad.  It  is  remarkable  for  its  fruits, 
and  abundance  of  excellent  salt. 


TURKEY  IN-  EUROPE. 


hn.  1?.  1  ^''k  ?""P*?'  ^^^'^  '°  formidable  to  Europe, 
has  lately  sunk  before  the  power  of  Russia.  TurkeV  in 
Europe  is  computed  to  contain  182,560  square  miles  •  an 
extent  wh.ch  exceeds  that  of  Spain,  or  even  France  under 
the  ancient  monarchy.  ^ 

Civil  Divisions.        As  European  Turkey  forms  a 

We  and  of  th/R'"'^  .• '"'"'^'-  ^^'^'  '^^  *"«"  <>f  Constenti- 
tiop.e  and  of  the  Byzantme  empire,  there  is  no  ancient  an- 

pella  ,on  for  is  whole  extent.     It  embraces  many  ancient 

kmgdoms  and  republics,  which  now  only  afford  a  mS 

choly  remembrance  of  classical  names  and  events    1   M^ 

davia,  part  of  ancient  Dacia.     2.  Budzac,  or  Bessarabia  « 

country  of  the  Get«  and  Peucini.     3.  Wa  achfa  a  p^^^^^^^^ 

also  of  the  ancient  Dacians.    4.  Bulgaria  which  emhr^r^, 

SJifprnirr^r™^ 

inraciajt'aBonia,  Macedonia,  and  the  northern  part  of  th.- 
classical  country  of  Greece.     6.  The  Morea,  ^equivalent 

tends'  T'An  anfi°^T"r "  ,  7"  ''''  ^-  ^^  RoriL  ex- 
tends, 7.  Albania ;  which  includes  the  kingdom  of  Eoirus 

Chaonia,  and  a  part  of  Illyricum.     8.  DalLatb  retoiK 

ancieat  appellation  :  while,  9.  Servia,  and  irBosnirren,^ 

sent  ancient  Pannonia.      U.  Turkish  CroaHn   ?i    ^    I 

western  province  of  the  empire,  ^^t^l^or^:,^^^^ 

ExTr"'  "^^i;. .Pr^^P^  V-"  district^of  Norrcum. 

iLXTENT.         lurkey  m  Europe  extends  ahnnf  «j7a 

m.  es  m  lehgth,  from  the  northern  boundary  of  MoUavL 

to  cape  Matapan  in  the  Morea.     The  breart?h  TJTII'} 

'•CI  ..nna  to  Constantinople, is  about  680  BritishmilT.' 

vhe.«tern  and  south.™  boundaries  are  formed  ?;  the 


11 ! 


146 


TURKEY  IN  EUROPE. 


l!i 


Euxine  or  Black  Sea,  the  sea  of  Marmora,  the  Archipelago, 
and  the  Mediterranean.  The  utmost  ncrthem  limit  is  now 
the  river  Dniester ;  but  the  western  often  consists  ot  an 
aibitrary  line,  and  is  sometimes  supplied  by  rivers  or 
mountains. 

Original  Population.  The  original  population 
of  this  empire  chiefly  sprang  from  the  ancient  Scythians 
on  the  Euxine,  the  progenitors  of  the  Dacians,  Thracians, 
8cc.  and  even  of  the  Greeks.  These  were  originally  blend- 
ed, towards  the  north,  with  many  Sarmatic  or  Slavonic 
tribes ;  and  on  the  fall  of  the  Roman  empire  the  latter 
spread  more  and  more  towards  the  south,  so  that  nearly 
one  half  of  the  population  may  now  be  regarded  as  Slavo- 
nic ;  but  Walachia  is  supposed  to  contain  many  descendants 
of  the  ancient  Roman  settlers  in  Daciu.  The  extent  of  the 
Turkish  empire  has  contributed  to  mingle  this  original 
population  with  various  Asiatic  races,  among  whom  the 
Turks  themselves  deserve  particular  mention.  That 
branch  called  the  Ottomans,  which  has  proved  so  destruc- 
tive to  Europe,  derived  their  name  from  the  calif  Othman, 
■who  reigned  in  the  beginning  of  the  fourteenth  century, 
and  extended  his  sway  into  the  plains  of  Bithynia,  in  which 
he  conquered  Nicomedia  and  Prusa,  and  thus  approached 
even  to  the  gates  of  Constantinople,  and  at  length  over- 
threw the  Greek  empire, 

Historical  Epochs.  It  would  be  difficult  and 
unsatisfactory  minutely  to  state  the  historical  epochs  of  this 
extensive  dominion,  containing  so  many  ancient  kingdoms 
and  states.  It  shall  therefore  be  only  premised,  that  after 
the  Roman  arms  had  subdued  these  countries  and  cities, 
many  of  which  are  celebrated  in  the  most  ancient  pages 
of  history,  they  became  in  the  fifth  century  an  important 
part  of  the  Byzantine  empire :  and  the  historical  epochs 
most  appropriated  to  the  present  design  will  delineate  their 
gradual  subjugation  by  the  Turks. 

1.  The  nrst  dawn  of  Turkish  history  preceding  the 
reign  of  Othman,  A.  D.  1299. 

2.  In  the  reign  of  his  successor,  Orkan,  the  Turks  take 
Gallipoli,  and  penetrate  into  Thrace;  which  province  wa*: 
soon  after  conquered,  and  Adrianople  was  taken  A.  D.  1360. 
Two  years  afterwards  the  sultan  Amurath  established  the 

tian  slaves  educated  in  Mahometanism  from  their  infancy. 


TT 


i'l 


TURKEY  IN  EUROPE. 


147 


3.  The  reign  of  Bajazet,  who  defeats  the  Hungarians  at 
Nicopoli,  in  Bulgaria,  A.  D.  1396.  In  1402  the  famous 
battle  was  fought  near  Ancyra,  between  Bajazet  and  Timur, 
which  for  a  period  checked  the  Turltish  power :  yet  in 
1412  the  emperor  Sigismund  was  defeated  by  the  sultan 
Mousa,  with  great  slaughter. 

4.  The  Turks  continue  to  increase  their  dominion  in 
Europe,  though  they  received  severe  checks  from  the  Hun- 
garians  under  Hunniades,  and  even  from  the  Albanians 
commanded  by  the  celebrated  George  Castriota,  called  by 
the  Turks  Scanderberg. 

5.  Constantinople  taken  by  the  Turks  on  the  29th  of 
May  1453.  In  1456  happened  the  siege  of  Belgrade  by- 
Mahomet  II.  Corinth  and  the  Morea  became  subject  t6 
the  Crescent  A.  D.  14.58.  In  1480  Otranto  in  Italy  was 
taken  by  the  Turks,  an  event  which  diflused  great  terror 
throughout  Europe. 

J>.  A  considerable  accession  to  the  Turkish  power  took 
place  m  the  conquest  of  Egypt,  A.  D.  1517.  In  1522 
Rhodes  submits  to  the  Turks:  the  knights  were  afterwards 
transferred  to  Malta.  In  1526  the  noted  battle  of  Mohatz, 
m  which  Lewis  king  of  Hungary  perished  ;  and  the  sultan 
liohmansoon  after  took  Buda.  In  i529  he  besieges  Vienna 
f  t|>e  head  of  250,000  men,  but  the  city  being  bravely  cle. 
fended  by  Frederic,  prince  palatine,  the  Turks  withdrew 
with  great  loss.  In  1552  the  Turks  seized  the  Bannat  of 
1  emeswar  ;  and  took  Cyprus  from  the  Venetians  in  1571. 

7.  In  the  same  year  was  the  famous  naval  battle  of  Le- 
panto,  which  delivered  Europe  from  any  apprehension  of 
the  1  urks  by  sea.  They  continued  however  to  invade  Hun- 
gary with  various  success.  But  their  wars  with  Persia 
gradually  diverted  their  arms  from  Europe.  In  1 642  the 
sultan  Ibrahim  took  from  the  Cossacs  the  town  of  Azof  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Don.  Towards  the  middle  of  this  century, 
they  seized  some  Grecian  isles,  which  the  naval  power  of 
the  Venetians  had  enai)led  them  to  retain 

8.  Mahomet  IV.  renews  the  war^against  the  emperor 
ot  Germany ;  and  m  1663  the  Austrians  were  defeated  in 
Hungary.  The  isIeofCandia  is  taken  in  1669  after  a  lone 
blockade  and  siege.  Wars  with  Poland.  The  siege  of 
Wnna,  1683,  was  raised  by  John  Sobieski  king- of  Poland 
xiungary  became  the  scene  of  repeated  Turkish  and  Aus- 
trian conquests,  ull  1699,  the  peace  of  Curlovitz,  by  which 


fM 


TURKEY  IN  EUROPE. 


^1! 


Mi 


i\ 


the   Turks  yielded   Transylvania  to    the    Austrians,  the 
Morea  to  the  Venetians,  and  Azof  to  the  Russians. 

9.  In  1736  a  successful  war  was  bejjun  with  the  Russians 
and  Austrians;  the  Turks  by  the  peace  of  1739  resumed 
Belgrade  and  Orsova,  with  some  parts  of  Servia  and  Wala- 
chia,  formerly  ceded  to  Austria ;  and  Russia  is  constrained 
to  abandon  Azof. 

10.  The  more  recent  wars  of  the  Russians  against  the 
Turks,  and  the  subsequent  decHne  of  the  Ottoman  empire. 

Antiquities.  The  ancient  monuments  of  Eu- 
ropean Turkey  are  well  known  to  exceed  in  number  and 
importance  those  of  any  other  country.  The  remains  of 
ancient  Athens,  in  particular,  formerly  the  chosen  seat  of 
the  arts,  have  attracted  the  attention  of  many  travellers, 
and  have  been  repeatedly  described.  A  venerable  monu- 
ment of  antiquity,  the  church  dedicated  to  the  divine  wis- 
dom, or  vulgarly  Sancta  Sophia,  by  the  emperor  Justinitin 
in  the  sixth  century,  has  been  fortunately  preserved,  by 
being  converted  into  a  mosque.  The  interior  is  adorned 
with  a  profusion  of  marble  columns,  of  various  beautiful 
descriptions,  the  purple  Phrygian,  the  Spartan  green,  the 
red  and  white  Carian,  the  African  of  a  saffron  colour,  and 
many  other  kinds. 

Religion.  The  religion  of  the  Turks  is  the  Ma- 
hometan ;  but  of  their  subjects,  in  this  division  of  the  em- 
pire, it  is  probable  that  two-thirds  are  Greek  Christians. 
The  religion  of  Mahomet  has  been  recently  cleared  from 
many  erroneous  representations ;  but  its  pernicious  effects 
are  sufficiently  visible  in  the  destruction  of  art  and  indus- 
try, wherever  it  has  made  its  appearance. 

The  mufti,  or  Mahometan  pontifF,  presides  at  Constan- 
tinople :  but  his  ppwer  has  seldom  interfered  with  the  civil 
government.  Next  to  him  in  rank  are  the  moulahs,  who, 
though  esteemed  dignitaries  of  the  church,  are  in  fact  ra- 
ther doctors  of  the  law,  while  the  Koran  is  also  a  code  of 
civil  observance.  From  the  moulahs,  are  selected  the 
inferior  muftis  or  judges  through  the  empire,  and  the 
cadilesquiers,  or  chief  justices. 

The  next  class  of  divines  are  the  imaums,  or  parish 
priests,  who  perform  the  service  of  the  mosques,  v. » ile  the 
cadis  are  judges  annually  appointed  to  administer  justice 


«U< 


*i 


TURKEY  IN  EUROPE. 


149 


i<»  rptrarr 


as  churchmen,  who,  like  the  moulahs,  have  directed  their 
chief  attention  to  the  juridical  part  of  the  Koran. 

The  Turks  have  also  their  monks,  styled  dervishes,  of 
four  various  orders  and  institutions,  dedicated  by  solemn 
vows  to  religious  offices,  public  prayer,  and  preaching. 

The  Greeks,  along  with  their  faith,  retain  their  priests, 
bishops,  archbishops,  and  patriarchs  j  but  their  church  is 
in  the  last  state  of  degradation,  and  i^s  die  nlties  openly  sold 
by  the  Turks. 

Government.  The  sultan  is  a  despotic  sovereign  ; 
but  he  IS  himself  strictly  subject  to  the  laws  of  the  Koran 
which,  including  also  the  national  religion,  raise  such  ob- 
structions  to  his  absolute  will,  that  an  Tntefligent  traveller 
pronounced  many  Christian  sovereignties  ihore  despotic. 
Hence  it  appears  that  the  power  of  the  monarch  is  balanced 
by  a  religious  aristocracy,  which  together  with  the  mu- 
nities  of  the  Janizaries  and  the  insurrections  of  the  provin- 
^^'n^P'^Jj'^','?^.^  greatly  weakened  the  sovereign  authority. 
1  he  1  urkish  laws,  as  has  been  already  mentioned,  are 
contained  m  the  Koran  and  its  commentacies. 

Population.  Turkey  in  Kurope  has  been  com- 

puted  to  contain  8,000,000  of  inhabitants ;  and  the  extent 
bemg  supposed  182,560  square  miles,  the  allotment  will  be 
4o  to  the  mile  square.  It  is  probable  that  this  number  ra- 
ther  exceeds  the  truth,  when  it  Is  considered  that  these 
regions  are  intersected  by  many  mountainous  and  barren 
tracts,  and  that  the  population  even  of  the  best  provinces 
impresses  travellers  with  a  striking  defect. 

Army  and  Navy.  The  Turkish  army  and  navy 
may  deserve  more  particular  consideration  under  the  head 
ot  Asiatic  Turkey,  as  the  chief  sources  fall  under  that  divi- 
?n":h-    ""'?  ^u'^}^  ^''^"y  remarked  that  there  are  about 

reed  Tooon'^n  i-"'-'  ,"^^!J'  ^^  ^f"^^'  ^^"  '^^'^'^y  ^x' 
disasters        '       ^^^^P^'n^d*  and  dispirited  by  successive 

Revenues.  The  revenues  of  the  whole  Turkish 
empire  are  computed  at  about  7,000,000  sterling,  while 
the  usiml  expence  does  not  exceed  five.     This  revenue  is 

fvl'Irr^,  'T  ''^  ^'^P'^^^^^"  '^^  -  unbelievers,  and 
fiom  the  zecchaf  or  customs  ;  but  principally  from  the  tax 

on  land,  amounting  to  about  six   shilliL,  '  ^"^ 

Winch  is  called  the'jizie.  °" 

N2. 


ifys    an 


1 

aim 


150 


TURKEY  IN  EUROPE. 


I 
I 

V 

1: 
li 


tt' 


II 


i.: 


I 


Political  Importance  and  Relations.  The 
palpable  and  rapid  decline  of  the  Turkish  empire  has  of 
course  greatly  impaired  its  political  importance.  At  the 
beginning  of  the  sixteenth  century,  France,  being  alarmed 
by  the  growing  power  of  the  house  of  Austria,  entered  into 
an  alliance  with  Turkey,  the  just  subject  of  murmur  among 
the  Christian  powers.  This  along  alliance  has  been  recent- 
ly violated  by  the  ptfrfidious  rulers  of  the  French  republic, 
who  invaded  Egypt  in  the  time  of  profound  peace,  and 
without  any  offence  given  by  the  Porte.  Since  the  peace 
the  French  have  regained  their  usuul  ascenxlancy,  and  by 
their  potent  interposition,  may  no  doubt,  if  they  choose, 
ccnsiderably  n^odify,  and  perhaps  render  null,  any  future 
conspiracy  of  Austria  and  Russia  against  the  European 
dominions  of  Turkey.  The  Turks  are  sensible  that  a  strict 
aUiance  with  Prussia  would  be  of  singular  advantage  to 
them ;  that  power  can  have  little  interest  in  such  a  treaty, 
but  must,  on  the  contrary,  rather  exult  to  see  the  power  of 
Russia  exerted  against  Turkey  and  Asia.  Meanwhile  the 
Turks  have  spared  no  endeavour  to  secure  the  friendship 
of  several  European  powers,  and  have  appointed  resident 
ambassadors  at  several  courts,  who  may  be  regarded  as 
heralds  of  their  fall:  for  in  their  prosperity  they  disdained 
to  send  any  envoys,  and  regarded  the  ambassadors  at  the 
Porte  as  tributary  slaves,  sent  to  solicit  the  protection  of 
the  sultan.  Amidst  the  defection  of  several  pachas,  in  the 
east  as  well  as  in  Europe,  it  is  fortunate  for  the  Ottoman 
empire  that  the  power  of  Persia  is  dormant. 

Manners  and  Customs.  Themanners  and  cus- 
toms of  the  Turks  are  distinj);uished  by  the  peculiarity  of 
their  religion  from  those  of  other  European  nations.  On 
the  birth  of  a  child  the  father  himself  gives  the  name,  put- 
ting at  the  same  time  a  grain  of  salt  into  his  mouth.  In 
diet  the  Turks  are  extremely  moderate,  and  their  meals  are 
dispatched  with  great  haste.  Rice  is  the  favourite  food,  and 
is  chiefly  dressed  in  three  ways ;  the  pilau,  boiled  withmut-* 
ton  or  fowl ;  the  lappa,  or  mere  boiled  rice ;  and  the  tchor- 
ba,  a  kind  of  broth  of  the  same  vegetable.  The  meal  is 
usually  spread  on  alow  wooden  table,  and  the  master  of  the 
house  pronounces  a  short  prayer.  The  frugal  repast  is  fol- 
lowed by  fruits  and  cold  water,  which  are  succeeded  by  hot 
coffee  and  pipes  with  tobacco.  The  dress  of  their  women 
differs  little  from  that  of  the  men,  the  chief  distinction 


TURKEY  IN  EUROPE. 


151 


bein^  the  head-dress  ;  that  of  the  fair  sex  consistinjj  of  « 
bonnet,  (instead  of  a  turban)  like  an  inverted  basket,  formed 
of  pasteboard  covered  with  cloth  of  gold,  or  other  elegant 
materials,  with  a  veil  extending  to  the  eyebrows,  while  a 
fine  handkerchief  conceals  the  under  part  of  the  face.  The 
amusements  of  the  Turks  partake  of  their  indolent  apathy, 
if  we  except  hunting  and  those  of  a  military  description. 
To  recline  on  un  elegant  carpet,  or  in  the  hot  season  by  the 
side  of  a  stream,  and  smoke  the  delicate  tobacco  of  Syria, 
may  be  regarded  as  their  chief  amusement.  With  opiiim 
they  procure  what  they  call  a  kief,  or  placid  intoxication, 
dunng  which  the  fancy  forms  a  thousand  agreeable  images, 
but  when  the  dose  is  too  potent  these  are  succeeded  by  irri- 
tation and  ferocity. 

Language  AND  Schools.  The  Turkish  language 
IS  of  fur  inferior  reputation  to  the  Persian  or  Arabic,  being 
a  mixture  of  several  dialects,  and  possessing  neither  the 
torce,  elegance,  nor  purity  of  those  two  celebrated  oriental 
tongues.  The  design  of  establisl-ingf  a  printing  press  at  Con- 
stantinople, has  been  opposed  by  the  copyists,  who  inferred 
that  this  art  would  deprive  them  of  their  bread.  There  are  in 
this  capital  several  public  libraries,  but  none  are  soeleeant 
as  that  founded  by  the  i^rand  vizir  Raghid,  which  is  wholly 
bui  t  of  marble  m  the  midst  of  a  square  court,  and  is  filled 
with  books  chiefly  theological.  A  librarian  constantly  at- 
tends, and  there  are  convenient  seats  with  carpets  and 
cushions.  In  the  neighbourhood  is  a  school  founded  by  the 
same  vizir,  in  which  about  100  boys  are  taught  to  read  and 
write.  The  market  for  books  is  extensive,  containing  many 
shops  well  supplied  with  oriental  manuscripts. 

rhe  state  of  education  among  the  Turks  may  be  con- 
ceived to  be  very  low,  and  ignorance  is  indeed  a  chief  oait 
of  the  national  character.  The  only  profession  which  re- 
quires  a  shadow  of  learning  is  that  of  the  law,  which,  as  be- 
iore  explained,  is  intimately  connected  with  their  theoloey 
The  celebrated  doctors  have  disciples,  who  are  trained  up 
to  that  department :  but  there  seems  nothing  that  can  de- 
serve  the  name  of  college  or  university. 

Cities  and  Towns.  The  chief  city  of  Eurooean 
Tui-key,  and  of  the  Turkish  empire,  is  ConKtrnS,? 
ouiit  oa  the  site  of  the  ancient  Byzantium.  The"ad"van' 
tages  of  the  situation  can  hardly  be  exceeded,  and  the  as- 
pect from  the  sea  is  peculiarly  grand  j  but  on  a  nearer  a^ 


II 


152 


TURKEY  IN  EUROPE. 


proach,  the  wooden  hovels  and  narrow  streets  disappoint 
the  splendid  expectations  of  the  spectator.  This  capital 
forms  an  unequal  triangle,  being  about  twelve  or  fourteen 
English  miles  in  circumference,  inclosed  by  walls,  and 
on  two  sides  by  the  sea  and  the  harbour  called  the  Golden 
Horn.  The  inhabitants  are  computed  at  400,000,  including 
the  four  suburbs,  Galata,  Pera,  Tophana,  and  Scutari.  Of 
these  200,000  are  Turks,  100,000  Greeks,  and  the  re- 
mainder Jews,  Armenians,  and  Franks.  The  most  cele- 
brated edifices  are  the  Seraglio,  which  comprises  a  large 
space  crowded  with  various  buildings  of  mean  architecture; 
and  the  mosque  of  Sancta  Sophia.  The  principal  entrance 
of  the  Seraglio  is  styled  Capi,  or  the  Porte,  an  appellation 
which  has  passed  to  the  Turkish  court. 

Next  in  dignity  and  extent  is  the  city  of  Adrianople,  for- 
merly the  European  seat  of  the  Turkish  dominion.  This 
city,  which  stands  about  140  British  miles  to  the  N.  W. 
of  Constantinople  was  founded  by  the  emperor  Hadrian  on 
the  site  of  the  ancient  Orestias.  This  second  city -of 
European  Turkey  is  of  a  circular  form,  and  at  present  un- 
fortified. Many  of  the  houses  are  respectable,  but  the 
streets  are  narrow  and  indirect.  The  Seraglio  is  in  a  plea- 
sant situation,  separated  from  the  city  by  the  river  Arda, 
and  commanding  an  extensive  view  of  the  country,  which 
is  fertile,  and  remarkable  hr  excellent  vines.  Several  of 
the  mosques  are  of  celebrated  splendour, and  the  commerce 
of  the  city,  by  the  river,  is  not  inconsiderable. 

The  city  of  Sofia,  situated  in  a  low  co'intry  N.  W.  from 
Adrianople,  is  of  considerable  trade,  but  meanly  built :  the 
inhabitants  are  computed  at  70,000. 

Silistria  in  Bulgaria,  on  the  river  Danube,  is  computed 
to  contain  60,000  souls  ;  and  Bucharest,  the  chief  city  of 
Walachia,  is  estimated  at  the  same  number. 

Belgrade,  the  capital  of  Servia,  repeatedly  disputed  be- 
tween the  Austrians  and  Turks,  is  now  destitute  of  fortifi- 
cations) but  is  supposed  to  retain  about  25,000  inhabi- 
tants. 

In  the  more  southern  provinces  the  chief  city  worth  no- 
tice is  Salonica,  computed  at  60,000,  a  city  of  considerable 
commerce,  seated  on  a  noble  gulph  of  the  Archipelago. 

Edifices.        All  that  deserve  a  place  in  this  work 
have  been  already  noticed. 


TURKEY  IN  EUROPE. 


153 


;ommerce 


Manufactures  and  Commerce.  The  native 
manufactures  exported  from  European  Turkey  are  uicon- 
siderable)  being  chiefly  carpets,  and  a  few  other  articles ; 
but  the  rude  products  are  far  more  numerous,  as  currants, 
figs,  saffron,  statuary  marble  from  Paros,  silk,  and  drugs  ; 
engrossed  chiefly  by  foreigners. 

Climate  and  Seasons.  The  extensive  regions 
comprised  within  the  limits  of  European  Turkey  enjoy,  in 
general,  a  delicious  climate,  pure  air,  and  regular  seasons. 
In  Walachialhe  air  is  so  temperate  that  vines  ah4  melons 
prosper.  In  the  mountainous  parts  of  the  more  southern 
districts  the  temperature  must  partake  of  the  cold,  univer- 
sal in  such  elevated  regions  ;  but  the  products  of  Macedo- 
nia and  Greece,  rice,  vines,  and , olives,  shew  that  the  cli- 
mate retains  its  ancient  praise. 

Soil  and  Agriculture.  The  soil  is  generally 
fertile,  the  northern  parts  producing  wheat  and  rich  pas- 
ture, the  middle  and  southern  abundance  of  rice.  But 
agriculture,  like  every  other  art  and  science,  is  neglected 
by  the  Turks  ;  and  that  soil  must  be  truly  fertile,  whicli, 
under  their  sway,  can  support  its  inhabitants. 

Rivers.  Among  the  rivers  of  European  Turkey 
must  first  be  named  the  Danube,  which  from  Belgrade  to 
Orsova  divides  Servia  from  the  Bannat,  a  space  of  near  100 
miles  :  and  afterwards  becomes  a  Turkish  stream  for  more 
than  400,  being  in  some  places  a  mile  in  breadth,  and  pre- 
senting, if  possessed  by  an  industrious  people,  all  the  ad- 
vantages of  a  Mediterranean  sea. 

Next  perhaps  in  importance,  though  very  inferior,  is  the 
Maritz,  or  ancient  Hebrus,  which  rising  in  a  chain  of  moun- 
tains anciently  called  Hsemus,  and  running  towards  the  E. 
and  S.  falls  into  the  -<Egean  sea,  after  a  course  of  about 
250  miles.  The  same  sea  at  the  gulph  of  Salonica  receives 
the  Vardari,  the  ancient  Auxias,  which  rising  in  Mount 
Scardus,  a  western  branch  of  the  same  chain,  pursues  a 
S.  E.  course  of  about  200  miles. 

Mountains.  The  chains  of  mountains  are  numev 
reus  and  extensive.  To  the  W.  of  Moldavia  and  the 
Buckovine  runs  N.  and  N.  W.  for  about  200  miles  part  of 
the  grand  Carpathian  chain,  anciently  called  the  Bastarnic 


PS. 


On  the  S.  of  the  Danube  appears  the  gri 

deservedly  celebrated  by  the  an- 


Hamus.     This  chain 


range  of  the 


154 


TURKEY  IN  EUROPE. 


cients,  being  of  great  elevation  and  extent,  rs  appears  from 
the  numerous  and  large  rivers  which  devolve  from  its  sides. 
The  chain  running  to  the  S.  has  many  classical  appella- 
tions, as  the  Acroceraunian,  Pindus,  &c.  The  E.  and  S.  of 
Greece  are  also  crowded  with  small  chains  of  mountains 
and  solitary  hills,  such  as  Olympus,  Ossa,  Pelius,and  others. 
Mount  Athos,  a  detached  summit  in  the  N.  E.  is  of  consi- 
derable height,  but  has  chiefly  attracted  observation  from 
its  singi^lar  form,  so  much  resembling  that  of  iMontserrat 
in  Spapi :  and  from  the  many  monasteries  and  churches 
©n  the  declivities  of  its  picturesque  pinn:;cle. 

Vegetable  and  Animaj  Productions.  The 

forests  of  Greece,  the  Greek  islands,  and  the  provinces  bor- 
dering the  Archipelago  to  the  north,  consist  of  the  common 
and  yew-leiaved  fir, the  larch,  the  cedar,  the  ilex,  the  kermeg 
oak,  the  common  oak,  the  oriental  plane-tree,  the  maple, 
the  sycamore,  the  walnut,  the  chesnut,  and  the  beech.  The 
principal  fruit-trees  are  the  olive,  considerable  forests  of 
which,  mixed  with  the  broad-leaved  myrtle,  adorn  the 
ahores  of  Crete  and  Attica  ;  the  orange,  the  fig,  the  vine, 
the  pistachia  tree,  the  mastich  tree,  the  mulberry,  and  the 
pomegranate.  Of  the  shrubs  and  smaller  trees  the  most 
worthy  of  notice  are  the  bay-tree,  the  laurel,  two  kinds  of 
arbutus,  the  cypress,  the  oleander,  and  the  caper  bush. 

The  zoology  of  European  Turkey  presents  few  peculia- 
rities. The  jackal,  frequent  in  Africa  and  Asia,  is  not  un- 
known in^hese  regions;  and  among  thebeasts  of  burden  must 
be  classed  the  camel.  The  Turkish  horses  are  celebrated  for 
spirit  and  forn.  ;  and  those  of  Walachia  deserve  particular 
praise.  The  breeds  or  qualities  of  their  cattle  have  been  little 
explained.  The  she^p  distini>;uished  by  the  name  of  Wala- 
chian,  have  spiral  horns  of  singidar  elegance  ;  but  the  fine- 
ness of  the  fleece  would  be  a  more  useful  distinction. 

Minerals.  The  mineralogy  of  these  provinces  is 
also  a  baiTen  field ;  for  the  indolence  and  ignorance  of  the 
Turks  have  generally  ne<;lected  this  branch  of  opulence  ; 
though  from  the  mines  in  the  adjacent  regions  of  Hungary 
and  Transylvania,  and  from  the  ancient  accounts,  there 
would  be  room  to  expect  great  mineral  treasures.  The 
gold  mines  of  Philippi,  about  80  miles  to  the  east  of  Saio- 
iiica,  in  the  time  of  ihiiip  of  Macedon,  produced  yearly 
about  10,000  talents, 2,880,000i'.  sterling;  and  silver  mines 
were  found  in  Attica,  and  other  quarters. 


TURKEY  IN  EUROPE.  153 

* 

ISLANDS 

BELONGING  TO  TURKEY  IN  EUROPE. 


THE  classical  islands  of  ancient  Greece  have  been  so  re- 
peatedly described,  that  little  more  than  an  enumeration 
may  suffice.  The  largest  is  that  of  Crete  or  Candia,  which 
is  about  1 80  British  miles  in  length,  by  40  as  its  greatest 
breadth.  A  chain  of  high  mountains,  called  the  White 
Mountains,  from  the  snow,  pervades  a  great  part  of  its 
length.  The  inhabitants  are  vigorous  and  robust,  and  fond 
of  archery.  This  isle  abounds  with  cattle,  sheep,  swine, 
poultry,  and  game,  all  excellent;  and  the  wine  is  balmy  and 
luscious.  The  siege  of  Candia  by  the  Turks  in  the  middle 
of  the  seventeenth  century  is  remarkable  in  modern  histo- 
ry, as  having  continued  for  24  years,  1646 — 1670.  This 
island  had  before  flourished  under  the  Venetians. 

Next  is  Negropont,  anciently  called  Eubcea,  about  100 
British  miles  in  length  by  20  in  breadth,  a  large  and  im- 
portant island,  which  also  belonged  to  the  Venetians  to  a 
late  period. 

The  other  isles  are  generally  of  a  diminutive  size,  and 
were  divided  by  the  ancients  into  separate  groups,  of  which 
the  Cyclades  were  the  most  memorable  j  while  the  Spo- 
rades  approached  the  Asiatic  shore. 


HOLLAND. 


THE  Seven  United  Provinces  were,  in  ancient  times, 
chiefly  possessed  by  the  Batavi,  a  people  highly  celebrated 
by  Tacitusi  reviving  an  ancient  name,  the  French  have 
recently  styled  them  the  Batavian  Republic.  They  were 
formerly  called  the  republic  of  Holland,  from  the  name  of 
the  chief  province  ;  so  called  from  the  German  word  Hohlj 
corresponding  with  the  English  word  hollow,  and  implying 
a  concave  or  very  low  country. 

Extent.  These  provinces  extend,  from  the  N.  of 
Groningen  to  Austrian  Flanders  and  Brabant,  about  150 
British  miles ;  and  in  breadth,  from  what  is  called  the 
North  Sea  to  the  circle  of  Westphalia,  about  100  British 
miles.  The  number  of  square  miles  is  computed  at  10,000. 

Divisions.  The  ancient  division  of  Holland  was 
into  seven  provinces,  Holland,  Zealand,  Friesland,  Utrecht, 
Groningen,  Guelderland,  Overyssel,  These  have  recently 
been  divided  into  fifteen  departments. 

Original  Population.  The  original  population 
appears  to  have  been  Celtic  :  but  when  the  Romans  con- 
quered this  country,  the  chief  inhabitants  were  the  Batavi, 
the  most  northern  people  of  Belgic  Gatil,  and  incontesti- 
bly  a  German  or  Gothic  progeny  ;  who  appear  to  have 
been  secure  in  their  marshes  and  islands,  till  the  Frisians, 
the  next  adjacent  people  in  the  north,  in  tlie  seventh  cen- 
tury, extended  themselves  down  to  the  Scheld.  In  the 
eighth  cenlury  the  Frisians  were  subdued  by  the  Franks 
under  Charles  Martel ,  but  the  Frisians  and  Franks  may  be 
regarded  as  mingled  in  the  populati<  x;  with  the  ancient 
Batavians. 


HOLLANO. 


i5r 


In  1421  the  estuary  of  the  Meuse,  or  Maese,  suddenly 
formed  a  vast  lake  to  the  S.  E.  of  Dort,  overwhelming  72 
large  villages,  with  100,000  inhabitants,  who  perished  in 
the  deluge. 

Historical  Epochs.      Among  the  chief  historical 
epochs  may  be  numbered ; 

1 .  The  actions  of  the  Batavi  in  the  Roman  period,  from 
the  first  mention  of  that  nation  by  Julius  Caesar. 

2.  The  conquest  by  the  Frisians,  and  afterwards  by  the 
Danes,  and  by  the  Franks. 

3.  The  countries  watered  by  the  Meuse  and  the  Rhine 
were  for  a  long  time  divided  into  small  earldoms  ;  but  in 
the  year  923  Theodoric  or  Diedric,  brother  of  Herman 
duke  of  Saxony,  and  of  Wickman  earl  of  Ghent,  was  ap- 
pointed count  of  Holland  by  Charles  the  Simple,  king  of 
France,  and  the  title  became  hereditary.  Zealand  and 
Friesland  were  included  in  the  donation.  The  county  of 
Gelderland  in  the  east,  was  erected  by  the  emperor  Henry 
IV.  in  1079,  and  became  a  duchy  in  1339.  Utrecht  was 
subject  to  its  powerful  prelates,  who  had  frequent  contests 
with  the  earls  of  Holland. 

4.  Frequent  contests  appear  between  the  earls  of  Hol- 
land and  those  of  i'  landers,  concerning  the  possession  of 
the  islands  of  Zealand.  Philipina,  daughter  of  William 
III.  earl  of  Holland,  was  married  to  the  prince  of  Wales 
afterwards  Edward  III.  of  England,  a  princess  worthy  of 
an  heroic  husband.  This  king  afterwards  contested  the 
earldom  of  Holland  with  Margaret  his  sister-in-law.  Jac- 
quelin  the  heiress  of  Holland  in  1417  wedded  John  IV. 
duke  of  Brubant ;  but  her  uncle  John  of  Bavaria,  who  had 
resigned  the  bishopric  of  Liege  in  the  hopes  of  espousing 
her,  contested  the  succession.  A  kind  of  anarchy  following, 
Jacquehn  went  to  England,  where  she,  married,  in  1423, 
Humphry  duke  of  Gloucester ;  and  this  marriage  being 
annulled  by  the  pope,  shQ  wedded  in  1432  Borselen  stadt- 
holder  of  Holland ;  and  next  year  was  forced  to  resign  her 
states  to  PhiHp  the  Good,  duke  of  burgundy. 

5.  Holland,  and  other  large  possessions  of  the  house  of 
Burgundy,  fell  by  marriage  to  the  house  of  Austria. 

6.  Holland  and  some  inferior  provinces  revolt  from  tb.e 
tyranny  of  Philip  li.  in  1566;  and  in  1579  formed  the  fa^ 
mous  union  of  Utrecht. 

Vol.  I.  O 


158 


HOLLAND. 


i 


m 


7.  By  the  end  of  that  century  the  Dutch  had  established 
colonies  at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  and  in  the  East  Indies  ; 
and  settlements  were  afterwards  gained  in  S.  America. 
Durmg  the  seventeenth  century  they  .rivalled  the  English 
m  the  empire  of  the  sea ;  and  greatly  exceeded  them  in 
commercial  advantages.  Their  power  began  somewhat  to 
decline  after  the  obstinate  naval  conflicts  in  the  time  of 
Charles  IL  In  1673  Louis  XIV.  invades  Holland ;  and 
Amsterdam  is  only  saved  by  opening  the  sluices. 

8.  William  stadtholder  of  Holland  ascends  the  throne  of 
England  1688  ;  and  a  stricter  intercourse  prevails  between 
the  countries,  Holland  becoming  the  grand  channel  of  the 
commerce  of  England  with  the  continent. 

9.  The  stadtholderate  declared  hereditary  1747.  The 
war  in  1756  opening  great  connections  between  Holland  and 
France,  a  French  party  began  to  form  in  the  country, 
which  opposed  the  stadtholder,  who  was  supported  by  the 
English.  In  1780  a  war  arose  between  Great  Britain  and 
Holland,  which  closed  in  1784,  after  exposing  to  Europe 
the  decline  and  weakness  of  the  United  Provinces,  still 
farther  displayed  by  the  entrance  of  the  duke  of  Brunswick 
in  1788,  who  may  be  said  to  have  subdued  them  without  a 
blow. 

^  10.  The  Dutch  having  joined  the  coalition  against  the 
French,  their  country  fell  a  prey  to  the  invaders,  during 
the  hard  frost  of  the  winter  of  1794-5  ;  and  the  stadtholder 
took  refuge  in  England  in  1795,  •  Though  a  ^:eparate  go- 
vernment continue,  yet  the  United  Provinces  must  be  con- 
sidered as  subject  to  France,  which  intends  to  incorporate 
the  parts  S.  of  the  Rhine.  The  Dutch  fleet  has  since  been 
Tiearly  annihilated  by  the  English,  a  fate  justly  merited  by 
ingratitude  and  cowardice 

ANTiquiTiEs.  The  chief  remain  of  the  Roman 
period  is  the  ruined  tower  near  Catwick,  about  six  miles 
N.  W.  from  Leyden,  at  the  ancient  mouth  of  the  Rhine. 
In  the  middle  of  Leyden,  upon  an  artificial  hill,  stands  a 
round  tower,  fabled  to  have  been  built  by  Hengist  who  first 
led  the  Saxons  to  England. 

Religion.  The  Protestant  religion,  in  the  Calvin- 
istic  form,  prevails  through  the  United  Provinces.  The 
states  of  Holland,  in  i  J83,  proposed  that  no  other  form  of 
worship  should  be  tolerated ;  but  this  resolution  was  wisely 


i; 


HOLLAND.  159 

rejected ;  and  every  religion  is  permitted,  on  condhion  that 
do  not  oppose  the  fundamental  laws,  or  teach  any  doc 
trmes  subversive  of  the  state :  yet  employments  of  any 
consequence  can  only  be  filled  by  Protestants. 

fnur  Ln'if '''''^' f ""^^  P^""""'  ^'^  considered  as  divided  into 
lour  ranks,  professors  at  universities,  preachers,  elders* 
and  deacons:  and  the  government  of  the  church   s  admi 
nistered  by  consistories,  classes,  and  synods. 

server?  h^'Tm  ^^•^^?""  ^'f  «VPP°«^^  to  have  350  churches, 
terHtorv^  Vu^'Tl'  'l'^"'^""  °^^"^«  ^"  '^^  conquered 
TJ^Z^:  .^^  "^''^'^  "**'"'  '*^^^^  ^e  the  Lutherans,  the 
a  feTquS:  "  '''"''"^'"''  Anabaptists  and  Jews.'  and 

H,.n  ^Sl'^'' u'^^f'^  ^'"'^  ^'^^s.  On  the  conquest  of 
Holland  by  the  French  in  1795,  a  convention  wafca  I^ 
to  frame  a  constitution.  The  plan  that  was  first  project^ 
nron^  ^^^PP^f  ^d  by  the  people,  another  was  afterwards 
proposed  which  was  accepted.      According  to  this  fmme 

rEsladrJ^H^'  °'  ^.'^^"^^'  V'^  governm^Us  vLtrS 
a  legislative  body,  consisting  of  two  chambers,  and  a  direc- 
tory.     The  presidents  of  the  two  chambers  kre  changed 

ro7utte"f  vear"'  tT''  ""'''''  ^^^^^'^^"^  and  dire^o^y 
go  out  eveiy  year      1  he  emperor  of  France,  who  does  as 

Justice  is  administered  according  to  the  local  ciiatom, 

and  statutes  of  eacl,  province  and  city,  tl>e  ordinances  of  tte 

States-general,  and  in  defect  of  all  these  the  Roman  code 

PoPuiATioK.        The  population  of  the  United  Pro' 

IxTem  o?th:"'te'rT"^-''""P""''  "  ^'^^^.''s"  and^he' 

^^z,  l'rtv;uTe%T;"f„s  ^i^  rr"' 
Co" "  "'"'^"'''  ''^  -^---f  p'o"t:r;:icui.^e7:t- 

time^ht'^v ';        T^^  """■•■''  ^^'"S,  for  a  considerable 

a-t%-wm-mw         - ■VT  


Army  and  Navy.         The 


auout  o5,ooo,  but  it  is  now  incorporated  with  that  ofl?™^  "' 
1  he  navy  which  used  to  oonsis?  of  forty  ships  of  thlZr 
has  by  the  events  of  the  last  war  almost  t'^tairdbli'p:^;:^ 


i60 


HOLLAND. 


I 


Revenue.  The  revenue  was  about  three  milliona 
and  a  half  sterling,  but  was  greatly  exceeded  by  the  expen- 
diture; so  tli-w  lii  J  'tional  debt  was  computed  at  about 
13O,0O0,00OA_steii';4);«  but  2,800,000/.  were  annually  re- 
ceived as  the  Interest  of  loans  to  other  for'^ign  powers. 

Political  Importance,  &c.  /he  political  im- 
portance and  relations  of  the  United  Provinces  are  at  pre- 
sent completely  immerged  in  those  of  France ;  she  is  forced 
to  contribute  to  her  own  annihikiion,  and  the  aggrandize^ 
ment  of  her  enemies. 

Manners  and   Customs.  A    stranger  visiting 

Holland  is  surprised  at  the  extreme  cleanliness  observable 
in  the  houses  aj>d  streets ;  even  hamlets  inhabited  by  poor 
fishermen  displaying  a  neatness  and  freshness,  which  forms 
a  striking  contrast  with  the  squalid  appearance  of  the  Ger- 
man villages.  The  air  being  always  moist,  and  commonly 
cold,  the  Dutch  dress  is  calculated  for  warmth  and  rot  for 
4'legance.  The  people  are  of  a  phlegmatic  temperament ; 
and  their  courage  at  sea  is  rather  obstinacy  than  ardour. 
A  late  amiable  traveller  observes,  that  "  the  infatuation  of 
loving  money,  not  as  a  mean  but  as  an  end,  is  paramount 
in  the  mind  of  almost  every  Dutchman,  whatever  may  be 
his  other  disposition  and  qualities ;  the  addiction  to  it  is 
fervent,  inveterate,  invincible,  and  universal  from  youth  to 
the  feeblest  old  age." 

Their  dress  is  little  affected  by  fashion.  The  opulent 
merchants  delight  in  their  villas,  and  gardens^  in  which 
perhaps  one  tulip  root  might  cost  50  guineas.  In  the  winter, 
skating  is  a  favourite  amusement,  and  the  canals  are 
crowded  with  all  ranks,  from  the  senator  to  the  milk-maid 
with  her  pail,  and  the  peasant  with  his  eggs.  They  possess 
some  valuable  collections  of  paintings  and  prints,  which 
also  have  become  an  article  of  commerce  and  avarice. 

Language.  The  Dutch  language  is  a  dialect  of 
the  German. 

Public  Schools.  The  mode  of  education  pursued 
in  these  provinces  seems  to  have  been  greatly  inferior  to 
that  used  in  Scotland,  a  country  enjoying  an  ecclesiastic 
government  somewhat  similar.  The  Dutch  youths  being 
chiefly  allotted  to  a  seafaring  life,  there  was  not  indeed  op- 

rvrkt^f  ntnitiT    t/»t»   n'nT*"1*'M^c!  rxo ■»■•#-» j^V»  lol   ci^V\*^i-\1c      'in/-!     f>r\r\cf^fiiM^lf\f 
l^^^i  *.\tixsxj      j*.'t     ii  t.liiiv.i  ^^  vtvj   |^«i  «/Tyf  littx    u^wii"-" -'n^'j     -ib.(s.4     -    • -?  p- »i.'^  |  »•  •"--- 

difi'usion  of  common  knowledge.      The  most  celebrated 
Latin  schools  were  at   Rotterdam,   Breda,   Middleburg, 


HOLLAND. 


161 


Groningen,  8cc.  The  universities  are  five  ;  Leyden,  Utrecht, 
Harderwyck,  Franecker,  and  Groninj^en ;  with  two  inferior 
colleges  at  Amsterdam  and  Deventer.  There  is  an  aca- 
demy of  sciences  at  Haarlem. 

Cities  and  Towns.  Amsterdam,  the  chief  city 
of  Holland,  is  upon  the  small  river  Amstel.  The  haven  is 
not  distinguished  by  natural  advantages,  but  has  been  im- 
proved and  secured  by  art:  and  the  wide  forest  of  masts 
impressed  every  traveller  with  amazement.  The  popula- 
tion is  computed  at  about  2 12,000.  The  streets  arc  general- 
ly narrow,  and  the  canals  feculent.  The  houses  have  the 
common  air  of  neatness  peculiar  to  those  of  the  Dutch. 
The  chief  edifices  are  the  state-house,  founded  on  piles  at 
an  immense  expence  ;  the  exchange,  and  the  post-office  ; 
but  some  streets  along  Jthe  chief  canals  display  houses  of 
uniform  grandeur.  Some  agreeable  walks  occur  in  the 
interior  of  the  city  ;  but  the  environs  are  chiefly  visited  by 
water ;  yet  to  the  S.  there  is  an  agreeable  road  to  Ouder- 
kirk  through  pleasant  gardens  and  groves. 

Leyden  is  esteemed  the  next  city  in  population,  contain- 
ing about  50,000  souls.  It  is  the  Lugdunum  Batavorum 
of  antiquity,  and  is  distinguished  by  its  university.  Here 
the  ancient  Rhine  almost  expires  in  a  number  of  small 
channels,  which  are  passed  by  so  many  bridges  that  the 
number  has  been  computed  at  more  than  one  hundred. 
The  meadows  and  gardens  around  Leyden  are  remarkably 
productive,  and  there  is  a  daily  intercourse,  by  canals,  with 
the  other  chief  cities  and  provinces.  *The  fair  is  still  much 
frequented ;  but  the  university  has  declined. 

Next  is  Rotterdam,  with  a  population  of  about  48,000 
people.  There  is  a  noble  quay,  with  houses  as  handsome 
as  any  in  the  squares  of  l.ondon  ;  and  the  great  length  of 
the  streets  is  haracteristic  of  Dutch  cities,  and  even  towns ; 
yet  tijey  arc  generally  narrow,  and  the  foot  pavement  is 
only  distinguished  by  a  clean  line  of  bricks.  In  the  mar- 
ket place  stands  the  well-known  statue  of  Erasmus. 

Haarlem  is  computed  to  contain  40,000  souls ;  and,  like 
Leyden,  is  fortified  by  old  brick  walls.  The  great  church 
is  esteemed  the  largest  in  the  province  of  Holland  ;  but  the 
celebrated  organ  is  more  remarkable  for  power  than 
sweetness. 

The  Hague  is  only  esteemed  a  villape,  tlsouirh  the  in- 
habitants  be   computed   at    36,000.      TJ 


coun 


O 


pa. 


16J 


HOLLAND. 


'ii 


lace,  contains  several  chambers  allotted  to  the  different 
branches  of  government,  besides  the  apartments  of  the 
Stadtholder.  The  states-general  meet  in  a  room  which 
contained  twenty-six  chairs,  for  the  usual  number  of  the 
members.  The  cabinet  of  natural  history  has  been  carried 
to  France,  and  probably  the  most  curious  books  and  pic- 
lures.  The  Hague  is  distinguished  by  its  pleasant  situation 
and  tranquil  grandeur. 

Inland  Navigation.  To  enumerate  the  canals 
of  the  United  Provinces  would  be  infinite,  for  they  ^qual 
the  roads  in  other  countries. 

Manufactures  and  Commerce.  The  chief  ma- 
nufactures of  Holland  are  linens ;  pottery,  and  painted  tiles, 
especially  at  Delft ;  leather,  wax,  snuff,  sugar,  starch,  pa- 
per, besides  some  of  woollen,  cotton,  and  silk.  But  the 
most  precious  branch  of  commerce  consisted  in  spices  and 
drugs,  brought  from  the  settlements  in  the  East  Indies. 
The  fishery  in  the  Northern  Seas,  and  even  on  their  own 
and  the  Enp;lish  coasts,  was  also  an  object  of  great  com- 
mercial importance.  Latterly  perhaps  the  chief  advan- 
tage was  derived  from  Holland,  being  the  grand  deposit  of 
commerce  between  Cireat  Britain  and  the  continent,  parti- 
cularly Germany  and  France.  The  inland  trade  with  Ger- 
many, by  the  canals  and  the  Rhine,  is  almost  the  only 
branch  which  has  escaped  the  ravages  of  war.  Of  this  the 
most  remarkable  feature  consists  in  the  vast  fioats  of  tim- 
ber brought  down  the  Khmc.  The  length  of  these  rafts 
is  from  700  to  1 000  feet,  the  breadth  from  50  to  90  ;  and 
500  labourers  direct  the  floating  island,  which  is  crowned 
with  a  village  of  timber  huts  for  their  reception. 

Climate  and  Seasons.  Humidity  and  cold  are 
the  chief  characteristics  of  the  climate  of  the  United  Pro- 
vinces. The  general  face  of  the  country  is  that  of  a  large 
marsh  which  has  been  drained  ;  the  canals,  and  even  the 
sea,  looking  pale  and  discoloui'ed  by  mud.  The  whole 
country  may  be  said  to  display  an  intimate  combination  of 
land  and  water  ;  and  the  few  elevations  commonly  consist 
of  barren  sand. 

Soil  and  Agriculture.  The  agriculture  of 
such  provinces  cannot  be  expected  to  be  considerable,  the 
land  being  mostly  under  pasturage,  except  a  few  crops  of 
madder,  and  tobacco,  which  are  cultivated  with  great  ^pre- 
dilection.    The  pasturages  in  the  north  of  Holland,  espe- 


f 


HOLLAND. 


163 


cially  those  of  Bemster,  and  in  Friesland,  supply  such 
quantities  oi  excellent  butter,  as  to  become  a  staple  article 
ol  commerce.  The  cows  seem  to  have  been  originally 
from  Holstein,  and  the  utmost  attention  is  paid  to  warmth 
and  cleanliness,  so  that  even  in  summer  the  animals  appear 
in  the  meadows  clothed  with  ludicrous  care. 

KivEus.  The  chief  rivers  of  the  United  Provinces 
are  the  Rhine  and  the  Weuse  ;  the  huter  here  receivhig  at 
Its  estuary  the  Aa,  joined  with  the  Dorael  from  the  S.  and 
from  the  N.  that  ^reat  outlet  of  tlie  Rhine  called  the  Waal : 
and  near  40  British  miles  further  to  the  W.  the  second 
grand  outlet  of  the  Rhine,  called  the  Leek,  joins  the  Meuse, 
alter  which  but  a  small  stream  passes  by  Leyden  to  the 
German  ocean.  'Ihe  principal  river  falling  into  the  Zuy- 
der  Zee  is  the  Issel,  which  rises  not  far  to  the  S.  W  of 
Munster,  and  after  receivin;>  the  canal  of  Drusus  near 
Duisberg  becomes  a  considerable  stream.  On  the  N  of 
this  IS  the  small  estuary  of  Wecht,  which  rises  to  the  N 
of  Munster.  The  rivers  of  Friesland  and  Groningen  are 
so  diminutive  that  they  are  mostly  lost  in  the  numerous 
canals  betore  they  join  the  sea. 

Vegetable  and   Animal  Productions.  The 

quantity  of  grain  produced  here  is  not  sufficient  for  home 
consumption  ;  but  by  draining  their  bogs,  the  Dutch  have 
made  excellent  meadows,  which  fatten  lean  cattle  from 
Germany  and  Denmark,  to  a  gr.  at  size  ;  and  they  make 
prodi.,.iousqua'itities  of  excellent  butter  and  cheese.  Their 
country  produ(,es  turf,  tobacco,  some  fruit  and  iron.  They 
have  a  „ood  breed  of  sheep  that  is  highly  valued,  and  their 
horses  anti  horned  cattle  are  of  a  lander  size  than  any  in 
Je-urope.  I  heir  shores  abound  with  fish,  particularly  tur- 
bot  and  soals.--,«ut  their  chief  fishery  is  on  the  coast  of 
England  and  Scotland. 


DENMAHK. 


'TH£  name  of  Denmark,  implying  the  marclies,  boun- 
daries, or  territories,  of  the  Danes,  is  derived  from  the 
inhabitants  who  are  first  mentioned  by  this  appellation  in 
the  sixth  century,  when  we  begin  to  acquire  a  faint  idea  of 
"Scandinavia  from  the  history  of  Jornandes.  Morway,  an- 
ciently Norrick,  or  the  Northern  kingdom,  afibrds  a  palpa- 
ble and  precise  derivation. 

Extent.  From  the  river  Elbe,  in  the  south,  to  the 
northern  extremity  of  Danish  Lapland,  and  the  wild  en- 
virons of  the  river  Tana,  may  be  computed,  after  excludiug 
the  entrance  of  the  Baltic,  an  extent  of  not  less  than  1400 
British  miles  m  length,  by  a  medial  breadth  of  only  1 50. 
Of  this  great  length,  Denmark  occupies  about  260  miles, 
while  the  remainder  belongs  to  Norway.  To  the  south  the 
Danish  province  of  Holstein  borders  on  the  wide  territories 
of  Germany  ;  on  the  east,  west,  and  north,  Denmark  is 
surrounded  by  the  sea.  The  eastern  limits  of  Norway  are 
chiefly  indicated  by  a  long  chain  of  mountains,  passing  be- 
tween that  country  and  Sweden, 

Divisions.  The  territories  subject  to  the  crown  6i 
Denmark  art  divided  into  thirteen  provinces,  viz  ; 

Five  in  Denmark  proper,  seven  in  Norway,  and  one  in 
the  Isles  of  I  erroe. 

Original  f  opulation.  The  original  population 
of  Denmark  appears  to  have  consisted  of  Cimbri,  or  Nor- 
thern Celts,  the  ancestors  of  the  Welch;  and  who  in  par- 
ticular ^eld  the  C'imbric  Chersonese,  or  modern  Jutland 
andSleswic.  On  the  progress  of  the  Goths  from  the  N. 
and  E.  the  Cimbri  wt-re  expelled,  and  their  country  was 
possessed  by  seven  Gothic  tribes,  among  which  were  the 


DENMARK. 


165 


Angli,  who  afterwards  invaded  and  gave  appellation  to 
England.  The  original  possessors  of  Norway  appear  to 
have  been  the  Fins  and  the  Laps,  who  were  driven  to  the 
northern  extremities  by  the  Gothic  invasion,  allegorically 
said  to  have  been  conducted  by  Odin  the  God  of  war.  The 
population  of  Norway  has  since  ccmtinued  pure  and  unmix- 
ed by  foreign  conquests.  ' 

The  chief  historical  epochs  of  Denmark  are  the  follow- 
ing ;  thpse  of  Norway  p  eceding  the  union,  are  too  obscure 
to  be  noticed. 

Historical  Epochs.         1.  The  most  ancient  po- 
pulation of  the  continental  part  of  Denmark  by  the  Cimbri, 

2.  The  conquest  by  the  Goths,  who  appear  to  have  pro- 
ceeded from  Scandinavia  into  the  isles  and  Jutland,  as  the 
dialect  differs  greatly  from  the  German  Gothic,  while  it  is 
a  sister  of  the  Swedish  and  Norwegian. 

3.  The  Roman  and  Francic  accounts  of  Denmaik,  from 
the  time  of  Pliny  and  Tacitus  to  that  of  Charlemagne. 

4.  The  fabulous  and  traditional  history  of  Denmark, 
which  extends  from  about  the  year  of  Christ  500  to  the 
reign  of  Pleriold,  mentioned  by  the  Francic  historians  in 
the  time  of  Charlemagne. 

5.  The  conquest  of  Denmark  by  Olaf  11.  king  of  Swe- 
den, about  the  year  900. 

6.  The  more  certain  history  commences  with  Gurm, 
or  Gormo,  A.  D.  920.  Gorvno  is  succeeded  by  his  son 
Harald  Blaatand  945,  who  is  followed  by  Iiis  son  Swein 
985,  well  known  by  his  invasion  of  England,  where  he  in 
some  measure  usurped  the  sovereignty,  and  died  A .  D. 
1014. 

^  7.  The  reign  of  Canute  the  Great,  king  of  Denmark, 
England  and  Norway.  The  conversion  of  Denmark  to 
Christianity  had  commenced  in  the  beginning  of  the  nintlj 
century  ;  but  Christianity  was  far  from  being  universal  there 
till  the  reign  of  Canute  the  Great,  when  it  was  followed  by 
its  universal  consequences,  the  cessation  of  piracy  and  ra- 
pine, and  the  diffusion  of  industry  and  civilization. 

8.  The  reign  of  VValdemar,  surnamed  the  Great,  A.  D. 
1157,  who  defeats  the  Wends,  or  Slavonic  inhabitants  of 
the  southern  shores  of  the  Baltic,  in  many  battles,  and  sub- 
dues the  isle  of  Rugen.  Hence  followed  slowly  the  conver- 
sion of  Pomerania,  and  of  the  countries  on  the  east.     Wal- 

demar  ifs  rpcrmvlfrl  nc  thf  navf^nt-  r»f  tli«  Piot-iicK  lon.o 


166 


DENMARK. 


m 


9.  The  marriage  of  Hakon  VI.  king  of  Norway,  with 
Margaret  daughter  of  Waldemar  III.  king  of  Denmark, 
A.  D.  1363,  produced  the  memorable  union  of  the  three 
crowns  of  tli6»north.  On  the  death  of  her  young  son,  Mar- 
garet ascended  the  throne  of  Denmark  and  Norway  in 
1387,  and  that  of  Swed|n  in  1389.  Her  husband,  Eric  of 
Pomerania,  reigned  aObut  26  years  after  her  death ;  and 
was  followed  by  Christopher  of  Bavaria,  who  removed  the 
royal  residence  from  Roskild  to  Copenhagen. 

10.  The  accession  of  the  house  of  Oldenburg,  in  the 
person  of  Christiern  I.  A.  D.  1448.  The  repeated  revolts 
of  Sweden  were  suppressed  by  his  successor  John,  who  was 
crowned  at  Stockholm,  in  1497. 

1 1.  The  tyrannical  and  unhappy  reign  of  Christiern  II. 
when  Sweden  was  emancipated  by  the  efforts  of  Gustaf 
Wase. 

12.  The  abolition  of  the  Roman  Catholic  religion  by 
Christiern  III.  1537  ;  but  the  Lutheran  had  been  already 
introduced  in  1526. 

13.  The  reigns  of  Christiern  IV.  and  his  successor  Fre- 
deric III.  who  was  constrained  to  sign  a  treaty  in  March, 
1660,  by  which  he  abandoned  to  Sweden  the  valuable  pro- 
vince of  Scone,  and  other  parts  in  the  south  of  Scandinavia, 
which  had  long  remained  in  the  possession  of  the  Danes, 
together  with  the  fertile  island  of  Paigen. 

14.  The  memorable  revolution  of  the  23d  October,  1660, 
by  which  the  crown  was  declared  absolute  and  hereditary. 
The  subsequent  events  have  been  little  memorable. 

Antiquities.  The  ancient  monuments  of  Den- 
mark and  Norway  are  chiefly  what  are  called  Runic ;  though 
it  be  not  clear  at  what  period  the  use  of  the  Runic  charac- 
ters extended  so  far  to  the  north.  C  ircles  of  upright  stones 
are  common  in  all  the  Danish  dominions  ;  in  Iceland  their 
origin  is  perfectly  ascertained,  as  some  were  erected  even 
in  recent  times  of  the  Icelandic  republic,  being  called 
Domhring,  or  Circles  of  Judgment.  Monuments  also 
occur  of  the  other  forms  imagined  by  our  antiquaries  to  be 
Druidic 

Religion.  The  religion  of  Denmark  and  Nor- 
way is  the  Lutheran.  There  is  no  archbishop  ;  but  the 
bishopricks  are  twelve,  six  in  Denmark,  four  in  Norway, 
and  t,vo  in  Iceland.  The  chief  see  is  that  of  Zealand,  which 

loon/       Q     lr«iQ»»  »     *-]ta    #%«-l-..-...     —1 : I     -  -  1 

i„, — ,   „  jCiii  ,    viiv  vfLiiv,!    ciciiuui  urucrs  arc 


vields  about 


DENMARK. 


i«r 


provosts,  or  archdeacons,  parish  priests,  and  chaplains. 
The  parochial  clergy  ar«  maintained  by  their  glebes,  tithes, 
and  surplice  fees ;  but  in  Jutland  some  of  the  livings  do  not 
exceed  20/.  a  year.  ^^ 

G^ovERNMENT.  Since  the  revolution  of  1660,  the 
Danish  government  has  been  an  absolute  monarchy.  That 
revolution  was  produced  by  the  obstinacy  of  the  nobility, 
and  consequent  enmity  of  the  clergy  and  burgesses,  who 
perceived  ne  other  means  of  humbling  their  adversaries. 

1  lie  Danish  government  has  however  been  ffenerallv 
conducted  with  mildness  and  moderation  ;  and  their  re^al 
acts  pass  through  many  councils  who  carefully  observe  the 
legal  torms      The  laws  are  chiefly  comprised  in  the  code  of 

century.'"       '       ''^^"'^  ^"  '^'  ""^  °^  '^^  seventeenth 

ru\n\^Z^^'^''^''''''  .  ^^^  population  of  the  Danish  do- 
minions is  computed  at  two  millions  and  a  half:  though' 
here  seem  little  room  to  infer  that  it  yields  to  that  of  Swe- 
rnjL  .V"^  suppose  the  square  contents  to  be  about  1 80,000 
miles,  there  will  only  be  12  inhabitants  to  the  square  mile 
nn?.7^T  IS  not  supposed  to  contain  more  than  r©0,000  souls, 
no  Iceland  above  50,000,  the  former  only  yielding  six,  ?he 
latter  one,  to  the  square  mile.  ^ 

!L  XT  "™^"'  °^  wh»h  Denmark  supplies  abo  ut  40,000 

and  Norway  the  remainder.     The  navy,^  prioi  to  t  he  late 
Ts'^sSoTt^'r  ''^  ^"Slishoff  Copen'ha^en,  consisteiTf 

nr.«  ^?,?[^NU=^-     The  annual  revenue  is  computed  at  about 

Z.6TZ'^'^\''''^'r''^^^  ^^^"^  superForto  that  of 
Sl^!w '  "??l^^^  contributes  543,554/.  Norway  290,000/. 

122  ?.!  •  In  """  ^^'''^'^  "P°"  ^^^P^  Passing  the  Sound 
anmtn  .^^*?^  ^'^'^^'  ^^'^  expencesof  the  state  amount 
S^fXecotS/.  '^'''^''''^^'  ^^  -  ^-thened  wiTa 

t\r^f^\^-^^^^^  Importance   and   Relations  A 

1  ussia^tsl  r  ^«"^,^"it«d  this  monarchy  in  alliance  witb 
Wisdom  wnni?'^"  °^  '"^T-^  ^-^^'"^^  ^^^d^"  5  but  more 

P  us^  r  •^^*PE'^'  '"  ^  fi^'"*  *"'^"^e  ^'th  Sweden  and 
1  nissia  against  the  exorbitant  nower  nf  th.  p„„o:.^ 


i;!!!" 


161 


Denmark. 


Makners  and  Customs.  The  manners  and  cus- 
toms of  the  superior  Danes  differ  little  from  those  of  the 
same  classes  in  other  parts  of  Europe.  The  peasantry 
continue  in  a  state  of  vassalage,  except  those  of  the  crown. 
They  are  of  course  idle,  dirty,  and  dispirited  :  on  the  con- 
trary, the  Norwegian  peasants  are  spirited,  frank,  open,  and 
undaunted,  yet  not  insolent ;  their  usual  dress  is  of  a 
stone  colour,  with  red  button  holes,  and  white  metal  but- 
tons ;  and  the  women  often  appear  only  dressed  in  a  petti- 
coat and  shift,  with  a  close  collar  round  their  throat,  and  a 
black  sash.  Their  usual  bread,  like  that  of  the  Scottish 
peasantry,  consists  of  flat  cakes  of  oatmeal ;  which  in  times 
of  great  scarcity  is  mingled  with  the  white  inner  rind  of 
trees. 

Laplanders  areof  a  small  size,  generally  about  four  feet, 
with  short  black  hair,  narrow  dark  eyes,  large  heads  and 
high  cheek  bones,  a  wide  mouth  and  thick'  lips,  and  a 
swarthy  complexion.  Towards  the  shore  they  build  huts; 
and  on  the  mountains  use  tents  of  a  flatly  conic  form,  and 
divided  by  several  rude  partitions  into  apartments  for  them- 
selves, their  servants,  and  cattle.  The  sun  is  here  abbent 
for  seven  weeks ;  yet  from  ten  in  the  forenoon  to  one  in  the 
afternoon  there  is  a  kind  of  twilight  even  in  the  shortest 
days,  so  that  one  may  read  without  a  candle  ;  but  the  stars 
are  very  visible,  and  the  moon,  when  apparent  shines  all 
day.  The  rivers  supply  salmon,  and  other  fish,  a  consi- 
derable  part  of  the  Laplandic  food  ;  but  at  a  festival  are 
seen  mutton,  or  rein  deer,  and  mead.  The  men  wear 
conic  red  caps,  lined  with  fur,  and  a  kind  of  robe  of  cloth 
or  skin  ;  the  poor  sometimes  using  that  of  salmon,  which 
appears  like  a  white  shagreen.  Till  recent  times  they  were 
immersed  in  paganism,  regarding  particular  mountains  and 
rocks  as  holy. 

Language.  If  we  except  the  Laponic,  the  lan- 
guages spoken  in  the  Danish  dominions  are  all  sister  dia- 
lects of  the  Gothic.  The  Icelandic  iothe  most  ancient  and  ve- 
nerable, being  esteemed  the  most  pure  dialect  of  the  Clothic. 

Education.  The  silence  of  travellers  and  geo- 
graphers concerning  the  modes  of  education  pursued  in 
dift'erent  countries  has  been  more  than  once  regretted  in 
this  v\ork  ;  but  the  materials  are  not  equally  deficient  con- 
cerning Denmark.  Each  parish  is  provided  with  two  or 
tiii'ce  schools,  where  chtldrcii  ate  tuughL  lo  read  and  write 


DENMARK.  |^, 

their  native  tongue,  and  the  principles  of  j^rithmetic- the 
schoolnaasters  are  allowed  abiut  1 2"  a  year,  wUh  a  house! 
lalTh'  r'^^^^d^.-"tages.  There  are  besides  many 
Latin  schools,  maintanied  at  the  royal  expence  ;  16  in  liol- 
stein  ;  1 1  m  Sleswic;  19  in  Denmark  proper,  or  Jutland 
and  the  isles :  but  only  four  in  the  wide  extern  orN^ way ; 
and  wo  in  Iceland  There  is  also  a  special  seminary  fbi- 
the  Laplanders  at  Bergen;  and  at  Soroe,  Odensee^?d 
Altona,  there  are  superior  academies  of  edicaUon      ' 

1  he  universities  are  at  Copenhagen  and  Kid.     The 
royal  academy  of  sciences  was  founded  in  1742,  but  has 

tu""l  ^Z%''Tn'T!'  "  r°".^l  -tiquities,'than  na! 
lurai  nistory.  in  17^6  was  founded  the  society  for  the 
improvement  of  nc  hern  history,  also  styled  the  royal  so- 
ciety  of  Icelandic  literature.  There  is  another  resnectaWe 
insftution  at  Drontheim,  style,  the  roy7soc Lty  o'^^^^^^ 
ences.  Ihese  foundations  confer  honour  on  the  Danish 
government ;  and  will  doubtless  contribute  to  difib  e  xience 
and  inspire  emulation.  ""mbc  xience, 

Cities  and  1  owns.  Copenhagen,  the  chief  citv 
of  Denmark,  stands  on  the  eastern  shor!  of  the  larec  and 
fertile  island  of  ^.ealand,  about  25  British  miles  to  the^^omh 

;/ar^:sraif  tZt  ;^Drrrt  ^^r^ 

The  streets  are  rather  narrow  but  are  well Ta-ed      ?,  u 
regularly  fortified,  the  circumference  being  b^ween  Ll 
md  five  mdes,  and  the  inhabitants  about  9ofooo     The  bar 
hour  .s  spacious  and  convenient,  havine  on  the  south  .h.' 
.s le  o  A,„,w,  peopled  ,,    ,,^  des^ndantfof  a  colZ-  f™™ 

tiZ  ir?o  '"*• ',"  f "™  ''"^  inland  was  granted  by  Chri™ 
b^erlU^ZSn'-'irrji'' -S-"".  ch/ese  an'd 

^»a'i  \ufpT:fih!  -x^rf :,  -t^-^"  --1 

castle  and  cathedral  are  remarKabJ^Spx^^'t":' cMrf 


170 


DENMARK. 


trade  is  in  fish,  hides,  timber^  Sec.    The  population  in 
computed  at  1 9,000. 

The  third  city,  of  Denmark,  and  indeed  the  second  in 
population,  is  Altona  on  the  Elbe,  within  a  gun-shot  of 
Hamburgh,  originally  a  village  of  the  parish  of  Ottensen  ; 
but  in  1640  it  became  subject  to  Denmark,  and  was  consti- 
tuted a  city  in  1664.  In  1713  it  was  almost  entirely  re- 
duced to  ashes  by  the  Swedes;  but  its  commerce  was  af- 
terwards so  much  fostered  by  the  Danish  sovereigns,  as  a 
diminutive  rival  of  Hamburgh,  that  it  is  computed  to  con- 
tain 25,000  inhabitants. 

Edifices.  The  chief  public  edifices  are  in  the  cities. 
The  castle  and  palaces  of  Cronberg,  and  the  two  other  royal 
villas  in  Zealand,  do  not  merit  a  particular  description,  the 
buildings  and  gardens  being  generally  in  an  antiquated  taste. 

In  T, AND  Navigation.  The  chief  inland  navigation 
of  Denmark  is  the  canal  of  Kiel,  so  called  from  a  consi- 
derable tov  i?  in  the  north  of  Holstein.  This  canal  is  in- 
tended to  unite  the  Baltic  with  the  river  Eydar,  which 
flows  into  the  German  sea.  The  extent  of  this  important 
canal  is  about  20  British  miles  and  a  half;  the  breadth  100 
feet  at  top  and  54  at  bottom ;  the  least  depth  is  about  10 
feet,  so  as  to  admit  vessels  of  about  1 20  tons.  It  was  be- 
gun in  July  1777,  and  was  finished  in  1785. 

Manufactures  and  Commerce.  At  Copenha- 
gen are  what  are  called  the  royal  manufactures,  in  which 
Mr.  Marshall  says  that  400  looms  were  employed,  from  the 
finest  woollen  cloth  used  at  court,  to  that  worn  by  the  sol- 
diery. Other  manufactures  have  also  been  recently  en- 
couraged by  the  crown,  which  has  paid  more  attention  to 
commerce,  and  agriculture  than  to  the  arts  and  sciences. 
The  chief  exports  of  Denmark  consist  of  native  products. 
Jutland  with  the  isles,  Sleswic,  and  Holstein,  generally  ex- 
port corn  to  a  considerable  amount ;  and  the  horses  and  cat- 
tle of  the  latter  province  furnish  a  supply  to  Holland.  The 
chief  products  of  Norway  are  wood,  hides  (chiefly  those  of 
the  goat%  with  s  Iver,  copper,  and  iron :  while  Iceland 
exports  dried  fish,  falcons  and  hawks,  and  eider-down. 
The  commerce  of  this  kingdom  has  been  greatly  improved 
since  the  acquisition  of  Altona,  and  the  opening  of  the  Kiel 
navigation.  The  colonies  in  the  East  and  West  Indies  also 
supply  some  resources. 


DENMARK. 


171 


Climate  and  Seasons.  The  kingdom  of  Den- 
mark proper,  may  be.  considered  as  possessing  a  humid  and 
rather  temperate  climate.  Yet  the  winter  is  occasionally 
of  extreme  severity,  and  the  sea  is  impeded  with  ice.  Nor- 
way, chiefly  extending  along  the  west  side  of  the  Scandina- 
vian Alps,  exposed  to  the  vapours  from  the  Atlantic,  is  not 
so  cold  a  region  as  might  be  conceived.  Finmark  indeed 
feels  the  utmost  rigour  of  winter;  while  in  Iceland,  on  the 
contrary,  that  season  is  unexpectedly  moderate,  so  as  ge- 
nerally to  permit  the  natives  to  cut  turf  even  in  January. 

ooiL  AND  Agriculture.  In  Holstein  and  the 
south  of  Jutland  the  agriculture  may  be  compared  with 
that  of  iLUgland;  the  fields  are  divided  by  hedges  and 
aitches  ii  excellent  order,  and  sown  with  corn  and  turnips. 
Farther  to  the  north,  cultivation  is  less  perfect  In  Nor- 
way the  portion  of  arable  ground  is  scanty,  and  far  from 
sufficient  to  supply  the  consumption.  That  mountainous 
country  is  however  abundant  in  pasture  and  cattle  :  which, 
as  in  Swisserland,  are  driven  to  the  heights  in  summer  ; 
and  a  patriotic  society  has  so  much  encouraged  agriculture, 
that  within  these  fifty  years  estates  have  risen  near  one 
third  in  value. 

Rivers.  In  the  kingdom  of  Denmark  proper,  the 
rivulets  are  numerous ;  but  scarcely  a  river  of  any  note 
except  the  Eydar,  the  ancient  boundary  between  Denmark 
and  Germany. 

The  chief  river  of  Norway  is  th^  Glom  or  Glomen, 
which  IS  not  navigable,  but  full  of  cataract,  and  shoals;  yet 
about  50,000  trees  are  annually  floated  upon  it  to  Frederick- 
stadt.  It  springs  from  the  lake  of  Oresund  on  the  north 
ot  the  Fcemund,  and  runs  nearly  south  about  300  British 
miles. 

In  Finmark  the  most  considerable  river  is  the  Tana, 
which  IS  followed  by  the  Alten ;  both  rising  in  the  moun- 
lams  to  the  north  of  Swedish  Lapland,  and  flowing  into  the 
Arctic  ocean.  ' 

Lakes.         The  lakes  in  the  Danish  dominions  are 
numerous,  the  most  extensive  being  in  the  south  of  Nor- 

T'^^  fk  ^u^  ^^^^  °^  ^'^'^^^  ^^  ^^^^^  ^^  British  miles  ih 
length,  but  the  breadth  is  in  general  little  considerable, 
except  towards  the  centre,  where  it  is  from  12  to  1 8  miles: 
it  contains  an  island  about  ten  miles  in  circumference,  fer- 
tile in  corn,  pasture,  and  wood.     Next  is  the  lake  of  Rands 


172 


DENMARK. 


or  Rands-S.on,  which  is  near  fifty  miles  in  length,  but  nofe 
inoi-e  than  two  in  breadth.  The  lake  of  Ty  ri  is  a  beautiful 
piece  of  water,  about  fifteen  miles  in  length  and  breadth, 
diversified  with  many  bays  and  creeks :  the  environs  are 
dehglitful,  consisting  of  corn-fields,  fertile  meadows,  and 
han-mg  iorests,  backed  by  lofty  mountains  towerini?  above 
each  other.  ° 

Mountains.  Norway  is  almost  wholly  an  Alpine 
country ;  the  southern  part  of  the  Scandinavian  chain  run- 
ning nearly  N.  and  ij.  and  terminating  at  the  province  of 
Romsdal,  is  called  Langfiall,  or  the  Long  Mountains. 
Hence  the  part  called  Dofrafiall  extends  towards  the 
east,  ending  above  the  lake  of  Aursunji  or  Oresund  ;  where 
It  again  proceeds  alnjost  due  north.  Here  also  a  consider- 
able branch  proceeds  by  Swucku,  &c.  towards  Sweden. 
The  third  part  of  the  range,  from  the  north  of  Oresund 
and  the  vicinity  of  the  copper  mines  of  Roras,  is  called  the 
Cham  of  Kolen,  extending  between  Norway  and  Swedish 
Lapland,  and  afterwards  bending  in  the  form  of  a  horse- 
shoe, on  the  south  of  Finmark. 

The  height  of  these  mountains  has  been  extremely  ex- 
aggerated. The  following  have  been  measured  to  their 
bases,  or  to  the  next  adjacent  waters  ;  Areskutan,  a  soli- 
tary mountain  of  Jaemtland,  about  four  or  five  Swedish 
miles  from  the  highest  Alps  which  separate  Norway  and 
Sweden,  is  said  to  be  6162  English  feet  above  the  nearest 
rivers;  Swuckustoet  within  the  borders  of  Norway,  4658 
above  Lake  Faemund,  and  that  lake  is  thought  to  be  2  or 
3000  above  the  sea ;  and  finally  SylSaellen,  on  the  borders 
of  Jaemtland,  is  3132  feet  perpendicular  from  the  height  to 
the  base. 

Vegetable  and  Animal  Productions.  The 
botany  of  Denmark  proper  does  not  materially  differ  from 
that  of  the  northern  provinces  of  the  German  empire, 
which  has  already  been  slightly  sketched  in  the  account  of 
Prussia.  That  of  Norway  will  be  incorporated  with  the 
vegetables  of  the  rest  of  Scandinavia,  under  the  article 
Sweden. 

There  is  a  great  diversity  in  the  animal  productions 
of  the  Danish  dominions.  The  horses  of  Norway  and 
Iceland  are  as  remarkable  for  diminutive  size,  as  those  of 
Holstein  are  for  the  contrary  quality.  Among  the  more 
peculiar  animals  may  be  first  named  the  rein-deer,  com- 


DENMARK.  173 

mon  in  Finmark  and  throughout  Lapland.  This  animal 
resembles  a  stag,  but  is  stronger  ;  and  the  deep  division  of 
his  hoofs  IS  adapted  to  tread  on  the  snow,  being  suited  by 
Providence  to  a  cold  climate,  as  the  camel  is  to  the  hot 
desert.  1  he  elk  is  a  more  southern  animal,  and  sometimes 
appears  m  Norway,  which  is  infested  by  the  bear,  the  wolf, 
and  the  lynx.  1  he  lemming,  or  Norwegian  mouse,  pro- 
ceeds from  the  ridge  of  Kolen,  and  sometimes  spreads  de- 
solation  hke  the  locust.  These  animals  appear  in  vast 
numbers,  proceeding  from  the  mountains  towards  tli  •  sea, 
and  devouring  every  product  of  the  soil:  it  would  seem 

th!l  T''''?'""'*"^  ^''^^y  thing  eatable  in  their  course, 
they  at  last  devour  each  other.  This  singular  creature  is 
ot  a  reddish  colour,  and  about  five  inches  in  length,  i. or- 
TniL  f°    ?^'*'  ""^  *'.''^^"'  ^"'^  '^^  f^J^ons  are  reckoned  the 

vart^inmh  "^"^'^^^T^"^^^  P^'-t  of  the  Laplander's  food  ;  and 
vast  numbers  are  transported  on  rein-deer  from  the  shores 
ot  the  Tana.    Hares  are  also  common  in  that  remote  re- 

aTd"'th:  r"  "'  '^'  ^''''  ^y"^'  ^"^  f°^ '  "°^  -^e  the  glutton 
and  the  beaver  unknown.  About  Roras  in  Norway  the 
latter  animal  is  sometimes  found  white  ^ 

Minerals.         About  the  year  1645  some  gold  ore 
was  found    near  Arindal,  of  which  ducats  were  s  ruck 
The  mines  of  Kongsberg,  about  40  British  mu"  to   he t 

We  aTd  o'n ''  """'^"^r  ^'^"  ^°"^  ^^P^^^^  ''^^  richest  in 
i^urope ,  and  one  mass  of  native  silver  in  the  roval  cabinet 

weighs  409  marks,  being  M'orth  3000  rixlSolSror  1^^^^^^^ 

feet  in"tLt?sf '  Th  ^''^-.^^^f--^^  to  more' than  two 
leet  in  thickness.     These  mines  were  discovered  in  1622 

to  rid'TboT  ro  ooof  "^  "^^^  ^^  ''  '^'^^^'^^^  "-^ 

emn .     ,    u       ^^'°°^^-  annually,  when  4000  men  were 

mnes  at  I  ossum,  20  miles  to  the  north,  and  itissuDDosed 
that  the  produce  barely  defrays  the  expence  ^^      ^ 

miles  s"Tn?n  'T.^''  ""^""^  °^  ^°^'^«'  ^^out  68  British 
Teins  «t  f  •  ^f  ^''^"theim,  were  discovered  in  1644.     The 

ore  of  a  nT  "'I  '"'^^'?  '^  ^^^  ^"^  "^  thickness  ;  and  t  e 
verv  LnH^  '  ^'"°r-  ^"  ^""^^^^  the  mines  of  Koras  are 
very  productive,  and  a  source  of  considerable  revenue 

Th  s':  "Ll"-  M  ^''^^^1 ''  ^^^^""^  -^  ^  recen    dTse^o" 

potrnnd'"i'lilT  '-  •''"'^''  '^"^'  "^^^'  "^  P-»"»- 
/  a««  i^v«vvi««n,  rtuu  in  colour. 


P  2 


nng  starch ;  and  tne 


174 


DENMARK. 


mine  is  supposed  to  produce  r  clear  annual  revenue  to  the 
crown  of  about  \  5,000/. 

But  the  iron  mines  of  Norway  are  esteemed  the  mo»t 
profitable.  Lead  appears  in  the  vicinity  of  Kongsberg; 
and  there  are  alum  works  near  Christiana. 

Natural  Curiosities.         The  northern  provinces 
of  Norway  afford  many  -singular  features.  The  Malstrom, 
is  a  remarkable  whirlpool  off  the  shore  of  Norland,  which 
will  involve  boats,  and  even  ships ;  nay  the  bellowing  strug- 
gles of  the  whale  have  not  always  redeemed  him  from  the 
danger ;  the  bottom  is  full  of  craggy  spires,  and  the  noise 
truly  trernendous.    The  volcanoes  of  Iceland  may  also  be 
classed  among  the  grandest  features  of  nature.    Among 
these,  Mount  Hekla  is  the  most  remarkable ;  it  rises  to  the 
height  of  about  5000  feet  above  the  sea.     The  summit  is 
covered  with  snow,  except  some  spots  where  the  heat  pre- 
dominates.   The  craters  are  numerous,  but  the  eruptions 
rare;  there  having  only  been  ten  from  the  year  1104  to 
1 693,  after  which  it  remained  quiet  till  1765,  when  it  emit- 
ted  flames  and  lava.     The  boiling  springs  of  Iceland  pre- 
sent a  singular  phenomenon ;  that  of  Geyser  to  the  nonh  of 
Skallholdt  is  the  most  remarkable,  rising  from  an  aperture 
19  feet  in  diameter,  and  springing  at  intervals  to  the  height 
of  50  or  even  90  feet. 


DANISH  ISLANDS. 

THE  prime  seat  of  the  Danish  monarchy  having  ever 
•been  in  the  isles  of  Zeeland,  Funen,  Laland,  Falst^r,  and 
the  others  of  that  group,  they  have  been  considered  in  the 
general  description  of  the  monarchy.  In  the  east,  the  far- 
thest isle  belonging  to  Denmark  is  that  of  Bomholm,  a 
'Small  but  fertile  spot. 

Off  the  west  coast  of  Jutland  are  the  isles  of  Nordstrand, 
Fora,  Sylt,  Rom,  Fanoe,  and  others. 

The  Norwegian  coast  presents^  one  continued  series  of 
gtnskM  and  unimportant  islands,  most  of  them  indeed  unin- 
habited. 

The  Norwegian  isles  are  in  general  mountainous  or  crag- 
gy, like  the  corresponding  coast,  with  precipitous  rocks 
^id  a  sea  from  iop  to  300  fathoms  deep  washing  their 


DENMARK. 


174 


venue  to  the 


The  Ferroe  isles  are  an  appanage  of  the  Danish  crown  : 
thpv  are  seventeen  in  number,  and  not  unfertile,  producing 
son  barley,  and  abundant  pasturage  for  sheep.  Small 
junipers,  stunted  willows,  and  birches,  alone  bear  a  dimi- 
nutive image  of  trees.  They  were  discovered  prior  to  Ice- 
land, in  the  ninth  century  ;  and  export  feathers,  eider-down, 
caps,  stockings,  salted  mutton,  and  tallow.  The  inhabitants 
do  not  exceed  '^OOO. 

The  large  a.  a  celebrated  island  of  Iceland  may  be  re- 
garded as  260  British  miles  in  length  from  the  most  west- 
ern cape  to  the  most  eastern,  and  about  200  in  breadth  from 
N.  to  S.  but  the  inhabitants  do  not  exceed  50,000.  The 
government  was  an  aristocratic  republic  for  about  387 
years,  till  in  1261  it  submHted  to  Norway.  In  the  mid- 
dle of  the  fourteenth  century  this  isle  was  greatly  depopu- 
lated by  a  pestilence  called  the  Black  Death.  A  volcanic 
island  recently  arose  to  the  south  of  Iceland,  but  afterwards 
disappeared'.  From  Iceland  a  colony  passed  to  Greenland, 
a  short  course  of  about  200»miles ;  but  the  Danish  colony 
in  Gneenland  has  been  long  explored  in  vain,  the  eastern 
coast  on  which  it  was  set  Jed  being  since  blocked  up  by 


fNordstrand, 


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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

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SWEDEN. 


SWEDEN,  in  the  native  language  Suitheod,  and  more 
modernly  Sweirige,  appears  to  be  a  very  ancient  appella- 
tion, and  is  said,  by  the  northern  antiquaries,  to  imply  a 
country  V(hose  woods  had  been  burned  or  destroyed. 

ExfENT.  The  kin^'dom  of  Sweden  is  of  very  con- 
siderable extent,  being  from  the  most  southern  promon- 
tory of  Scone  to  the  northern  extremity  of  Swedish  Lap- 
land, not  less  than  1 150  British  miies  in  length,  and  in 
breadth,  from  the  Norwegian  Alps  to  the  limits  of  Russia, 
about  600.  The  contents  in  square  miles  have  been  com- 
puted at  208,912  ;  and  the  inhabitants  being  some  years 
ago  supposed  2,977,34^, 'there  will  be  14  to  the  square 
mile,  including  Swedish  Pomerania,  computed  at  1440 
square  miles,  and  103,545  inhabitants. 

Divisions.  The  provinces  of  the  Swedish  mo- 
narchy are  28  in  number,  and  may  be  arranged  in  the  fol- 
lowing manner : 

Five  in  Sweden  proper :  three  in  W.  E.  and  S.  Gothland ; 
six  in  West  Norland ;  one  in  West  Bothnia ;  six  in  Swedish 
Lapland  ;  two  in  East  Bothnia  ;  four  in  1  inland  ;  one  in 
Swedish  Pomerania. 

Original  Population.  As  there  is  no  evidence 
that  the  Celts  ever  penetrated  to  Scandinavia,  tt.e  first  po- 
pulation appears  to  have  consisted  of  i'ins,  who,  perhaps 
seven  or  eight  centuries  before  the  Christian  aera,  were 
supplanted  by  the  Goths,  mythologically  represented  as 
having  been  conducted  by  Odhj,  or  the  god  of  war.  No  fo- 
reign conquest  having  since  extended  hither,  the  popula- 
tion continues  purely  Gothic  in  the  southern  parts ;  while 
in  the  north  there  are  remains  of  the  Fins  j  and  above  them 


SWEDEN. 


177 


the  Laplanders,  a  native  diminutive  race  resembling  the 
Samoieds  of  the  north  of  Asia ;  from  whence  they  seem  to 
have  originated. 

Historical  Epochs.        7'he  following  seem  to  con- 
stitute the  chief  historical  epochs  of  Sweden  : 

1 .  The  early  population  by  the  Fins  and  Laplanders. 

2.  The  conquest  by  the  Goths. 

3.  What  little  knowledge  the  ancients  possessed  C(Jn- 
cerning  the  south  of  Scandinavia. 

4.  The  fabulous  and  traditional  history,  which  begins 
about  the  year  of  Christ  520,  and  includes  the  conquest  of 
Sweden  by  Ivar  Vidfatme  king  of  Denmark,  about  A.  D. 
760.  Hence  there  is  an  obscure  period  till  the  reign  of 
Biorn  L  A.  D.  829,  commemorated,  with  his  immediate 
successors,  by  Adam  of  Bremen. 

5.  The  conquest  of  Denmark  by  Olaf  H.  about  the  year 

900.  ' 

6.  The  partial  conversion  of  Sweden  to  Christianity  in 
the  reign  of  Olaf  HL  A.  D.  1000  ;  but  more  than  half  a 
century  elapsed  before  Paganism  can  be  considered  as 
finally  abandoned,  in  the  reign  of  Ingi  the  Pious.  A.  D. 

1066. 

7.  The  accession  of  the  Folkungian  branch,  about  the 
middle  of  the  thirteenth  century. 

8.  The  Swedes  discontented  with  their  king  Albert  of 
Mecklenburg,  in  1388  electtd  as  their  sovereign,  Margaret 
heiress  of  Denmark  and  Norway.  Thus  ended  the  Folk- 
ungian race  :  and  by  the  celebrated  treaty  of  Calmar,  A.  D. 
1397,  the  three  kingdoms  of  the  north  were  supposed  to 
be  united  for  ever.  But  after  the  death  of  Margaret  in 
1412,  the  Swedes  began  to  struggle  for  thtir  liberty  :  and 
in  1449  Karl  or  Charles  VHI.  was  elected  king  of  Sweden. 

9.  The  struggles  between  Denmark  and  Sweden,  till  the 
cruel  and  tyrannic  reign  of  Christiern  H.  king  of  Denmark, 
Norway,  and  Sweden. 

10.  Tyrants  are  the  fathers  of  freedom.  Gustaf  Wase, 
whom  we  style  GustsiVus  Vasa,  delivers  his  country  from 
the  Danish  yoke,  after  a  contest  which  forms  one  of  the 
most  interesting  portions  of  modern  history.  1  he  revolt 
may  be  considered  as  having  commenced  when  Gustaf  ap- 
pears at  Mora  in  Dalecarlia,  A.  D.  1520,  and  completed 
three  years  afterwards,  when  he  entered  Stockholm  in 
triumph.    Dissi,tisfied  with  the  power  of  the  clergy,  which 


178 


SWEDEN. 


had  repeatedly  subjugated  the  kingdom  of  Denmark,  this 
great  prince, in  1527,  introduced  the  reformed  religion,  and 
died  in  his  seventieth  year,  September  1560,  after  a  glori- 
ous reign  of  thirty-seven  years. 

II.  The  reign  of  Gustaf  Adolph,  or  Gustavus  Adolphus, 
A.  D.  1611-,-1631.  Austria,  Spain,  and  the  other  Catholic 
kingdoms,  having  conspired  to  extirpate  the  Protestant 
religion  in  Germany,  this  king  was  invited  to  assist  the  re- 
formed ;  and  carried  his  victorious  arms  to  the  Rhine  and 
the  Danube. 
If  12.  The  reign  of  Cliarles  XI.  1660 — 1697,  when  the 

arts  and  sciences  began  to  flourish,  and  the  power  of  the 
kingdom  was  carried  to  its  utmost  height.  This  reign  of 
solid  beneficence  was  followed  by  the  calamitous  sway  of 
that  madman  Charles  XII. 

1 3.  After  the  frantic  reign  of  Charles  XII.  Sweden  sunk 
into  political  humiliation ;  at  one  time  awed  by  Russia,  and 
at  another  cajoled  by  France. 

Antiquities.  The  ancient  monuments  of  Swe- 
den  consist  chiefly  of  judicial  circles,  and  other  erections 
of  unhewn  stone,  followed  by  the  monuments  inscribed 
with  Runic  characters,  none  of  which  can  safely  be  dated 
more  anciently  than  the  eleventh  century. 

Religion.  The  religion  of  Sweden  is  the  Lu- 
theran,  and  this  kingdom  has  retained  an  archbishopric 
with  thirteen  prelacies.  The  parishes  amount  to  2,537. 
The  priests  are  coniputed  at  1378;  with  134  vicars,  and 
192  prepositi,  or  inspectors.  Some  of  the  parishes  are  very 
extensive,  as  that  of  eastern  Bothnia,  w"hich  is  about  150 
miles  in  length  by  48  in  breadth  ;  and  another  parish  in 
Lapland  is  still  larger. 

GovEiiNMENT.  By  the  act  of  union,  1789,  the 
constitution  of  Sweden  became  an  absolute  monarchy  ;  the 
monarch  having  arrogated  not  only  the  rights  of  peace  and 
war,  and  the  administration  of  justice,  but  the  imposition  of 
taxes,  without  the  consent  of  the  diet,  which  cannot  deli- 
berate on  any  subject  till  it  be  proposed  by  the  sovereign. 
The  diet  consists  of  nobles,  and  landed  gentlemen,  clergy, 
burgesses,  or  deputies  of  towns,  and  tliose  ol  the  peasantry. 
Each  of  the  four  states  has  a  speaker  ;  tiie  archbishop  of 
Upsal  being  always  the  speaker  of  the  clergy,  while  the 
king  nominates  the  others. 


SWEDEN.  lyg 

Po.PULATidK.  When  the  great  extent  of  the  Swed- 
ish terntory  is  considered,  the  popuhuion  will  appear  S^ 
paratively  small;  a  circumstance  arising  in  part  fronTthc 
mountainous  nattire  of  the  country,  and  in  Lr  from  the 
severe  chmate  of  the  northern  districts  ;  SwiSsh  Lapland 
bemg  supposed  not  to  contain  more  thai  7000  inhabkams 

exceed  3,000,000.  1  he  nobility  are  so  numerous  as  to  be 
computed  at  about  2,500  femiiies;  while  the  peaL^ts,  the 
most  numerous  class,  amount  to  about  2,000,ooa 

Army.         The  Swedish  army  consists  of  national 

rarut'?' ooo'^'tiT  f rr^'  ^'^^^  •^-"^  -« 

/orSfn  '?  *u  ^,^K  ^°^^^  *™«""*  °f  the  army  may  be 
tl'^^  '  r^^  ^"1  '^*'^^*^"'  ^'^  «f  distinguished  valour  and 
hardihood,  and  elated  with  the  former  tUme  of  the  SwS 

♦u  .  }^^V^'  ,.  ^!?  *^*^^  ^^^e  the  naval  operations  of  1792 
hat  the  Swedi^  fleet,  which  consisted  of  30  sh"  rs  of  the 
line,  cannot  now  display  above  half  that  numbe,  Tn  the 
Baltic,  which  IS  full  of  low  coasts  and  shoals,  gallies  of  a 
flat  construction  are  fo^md  more  serviceable  than  ships  of 
war,  and  of  course  great  attention  is  paid  to  their  equipSLnt 
by  Sweden  as  well  as  Russia.  equipment 

Revenue.        The  revenue  of  Sweden  is  comnuted 
a  about  a  million  and  a  half  sterling,  which  i   equaTlK 

notbeCh  i""^  '^  government,    ^rhe  national  debt  can- 
not be  much  less  than  10,000,000/.  sterling 

^i-^.^^V^'^A^  Importance  and  Relations.        The 

K""-  k''?P^'''^"'1^"^  '^^^''^''^  °f  this  kingdom  are  much 
diminished  since  the   glorious  reien  of  r„*taf  fj^i  u 

and  the  beneficent  swaf  of  ChaKi     Pr^X.  u'tte' 

revolution  m  France,  Sweden  had  been  the  duw  of  thll 

crafty  cabinet.    Of  late  this  alMance  seemsTo  be  «crific^ 

to  a  more  useful  connexion  ,vith  Denmark  a»d  Pru,sU 

ro^rrssCe'^nm^-"^  ^^-  <^^^ 

..s^=;r^ 

nmh      I?'h  ''  """  l^'"  "tyJeO  the  French  of  th« 

"Mth.    It  has  «ven  changed  their  complexion,  whi,*  U 

aiveisified,  bemg  in  some  provinces  extremely  brownlxhe 


189 


S-WEDEN. 


I 


men  are  commonly  robust  and  well  formed,  and  the  women 
slender  and  elegant.  'J'he  natives  of  the  western  province 
of  Dalecarlia  retain  many  ancient  customs,  and  have  been 
distint^uishcd  for  their  courage  and  probity,  since  the  time 
of  Gustaf  Wase. 

Language.  The  languapje  of  Sweden  is  a  dialect 
of  the  Gothic,  being  a  sister  of  the  Danish,  Norwegian,  and 
Icelandic  In  the  south  of  Sweden,  whieh  contains  the 
chief  mass  of  population,  some  German  and  French  word* 
have  been  adopted;  while  the  Dalecarlian  on  the  N.  W.  is 
esteemed  a  peculiar  dialect,  perhaps  only  because  it  con- 
tains more  of  the  ancient  terms  and  idiom. 

E!>ucATioN.  The  manner  of  education  has,  as 
usual,  been  neglected  by  travellers  and  geographers,  though 
perttaps  one  of  the  most  important  branches  in  the  whole 
circle  of  human  affairs.  Compared  with  this  primary 
foundation,  an  enumeration  of  universities  is  of  small  con- 
sequence. That  of  Upsal  is  the  most  ancient  and  renew  n- 
ed,  containing  about  500  students ;  while  that  of  Lunden 
presents  about  300.  A  third  is  at  Abo  in  Finland,  fre- 
quented even  by  students  from  Russia ;  and  the  whole  num- 
ber is  computed  as  equalling  that  of  Upsal.  There  are 
besides  twelve  literary  academies,  most  of  which  publish 
memoirs  of  their  transactions.  The  library  at  Upsal  is 
richly  furnished  with  books  remitted  by  Gustaf  Adolph, 
"when  his  victorious  ai  ms  penetrated  deeply  into  Germany ; 
Sweden  having  thus  acquired  by  war  the  first  materials  of 
her  literary  fame. 

Cities  and  Towns.  Stockholm,  the  capital  of 
Sweden,  stands  in  a  singular  situation,  between,  a  creek,  or 
inlet  of  the  Baltic  sea,  and  the  lake  Maeler.  It  occupies 
seven  small  rocky  islands,  and  the  scenery  is  truly  singular 
and  romantic.  "  A  variety  of  contrasted  and  enchanting 
views  is  formed  by  numberless  rocks  of  granite,  rising 
boldly  from  the  surface  of  the  water,  partly  bare  and  crag- 
gy, partly  dotted  with  houses  or  feathered  with  wood." 
Most  of  the  houses  are  of  stone  or  brick,  covered  with 
white  stucco :  except  in  the  suburbs,  where  several  are 
of  wood  painted  red,  as  usual  in  the  country  of  Sweden.  This 
city  was  founded  about  the  middle  of  the  thirteenth  cen- 
tury ;  and  in  the  seventeenth  century,  the  royal  residence 
was  transferred  hither  from  Upsal.  The  entrance  to  the 
harbour  is  through  a  narrow  streight,  of  somewhat  diffi- 


SWEDEN.  ,gf 

a  castie,  an  arsenal,  and  several  academips    Ti,«  «,«     / 
ture,  are  few,  of  g..„,  china,  ^^^SSi,  llt^"^^; 

a  population  of  9n  nnn    tK«  ^"»«"  city  m  Sweden,  having: 

Ch'aiies  I^or  raSeTb/^^^^^^^^^  '^V"^^^  '^^ 

derable  commerce   the  hpr^.^nl  A    P^'    besides  consi- 
rich  Gothenbii     The  strii?'^  fishery  contributes  to  en- 
wmcijuurg.     1  He  streets  are  Uniform  •  an  a  *u^    • 

cumference  is  computed  at  near  three  mileT '         "*  ""■■ 

Edifices.         Even   includine   the    mval  n.i 
Sweden  cannot   boast   of  many  SDlendW  17k     P*"?^?'' 
roads  are  in  general  far  snpS^r^o  tho"  .  of  nl"'"  J^^. 
Norway,  which  seem  unaccountably  negtee^^^!?'^  '"f 
bemg  the  ve=7  stamina  of  national^mXmen!    ''  ""^' 

has  b'erp''a?dtiXVL%atio*'n'':irt,!rct^^^^^ 

been  to  fo™  a  canal  betweeSkhoIm  and  Go.S '"' 

Wener;  and  by  the  riverS?,"'  °'«' ,«''»«  '»  tliat  of 
<I-e  bWr  RacVLVoerSta'"  TH?  "'^^  i"'^''  "> 
already  in  some  measure  ™rpIeM  ^"'^  "''"S"  « 

manutes  are  Tr  ^frL"^  bei"' ""'"        '"''«  Swedish 

chieay  of  thoseofirTaiSTeel   wfth"rrT'  ""'''""B 
and  sail  cloth      Th.  ™o„r.''" '^'°""' ''«"' watches. 

and  the  construction  o^lf™  T'  "^  "=°PP''  '""'  •>««'» 
In  "«,it  waTcoZu°edtK'f4  0or"P^  ""'"''  '""«'»• 
those  ofwool,  silk,  and  cotton     nf     .■  *"*  e°>P'oyed  in 


i 


i 


♦ 


183 


mmmtmmmmmmm 


SWEDEN. 


copper.  Herring6  also  form  a  considerable  article.  The 
chief  import  is  corn  of  various  kinds,  particularly  rye, 
Sweden  rarely  affording  a  sufficiency  for  her  own  con- 
sumption ;  with  hempf  tobacco,  sugar,  coffee,  drugs,  silk, 
wines,  &c.  Mr.  Coxe  has  published  a  table  of  the  Swedish 
commerce,  whence  it  appears  that  the  exports  then  amount- 
ed to  1,368,830/.  13«.  5rf.  and  the  imports  to  1,008,392/. 
I2«.  iid.  so  that  the  balance  in  favour  of  Sweden  was 
about  360,000/.  • 

Climate  and  Seasons.  The  different  parts  of 
Sweden  present  considerable  varieties  of  temperature. 
The  gulph  of  Bothnia  becomes  one  field  of  ice  ;  and  tra- 
vellers pass  on  it  from  Finland  by  the  isles  of  Aland.  In 
the  most  southern  provinces,  the  climate  may  be  compared 
to  that  of  Scotland,  which  lies  under  the  same  parallel ; 
but  the  western  gales  from  the  Atlantic,  which  deluge  the 
Scotish  Highlands  with  perpetual  rain,  and  form  the  chief 
obstacle  to  improvement,  are  little  felt,  in  the  north  the 
summer  is  hot,  by  the  reflection  of  the  numerous  moun- 
tains, and  the  extreme  length  of  the  days ;  for  at  Tornea, 
in  Swedish  Lapland,  the  sun  is  for  some  weeks  visible  at 
midnight ;  and  the  winter  in  return  presents  many  weeks 
of  complete  darkness. 

Face  of  the  Country.  Soil  and  Agriculture. 
No  country  can  be  diversified  in  a  more  picturesque  man- 
ner, with  extensive  lakes,  large  transparent  rivers,  winding 
sta'eams,  wild  cataracts,  gloomy  forests,  verdant  vales,  stu- 
pendous rocks,  and  cultivated  fields.  The  soil  is  not  the 
most  propitious ;  but  agriculture  is  conducted  with  skill 
and  industry,  so  as  much  to  exceed  that  of  Germany  and 
Denmark.  Even  Finland  presents  many  rich  pastures, 
and  not  a  few  fields  of  rye,  oats,  and  barley.  * 

Rivers.  Sweden  is  intersected  by  iiumerous  rivers, 
the  largest  of  which  are  in  the  native  language  called  Elbs, 
or  Elfs.  The  most  considerable  flow  from  the  lakes,  with- 
out any  great  length  of  course ;  such  as  the  Gotha,  the  only 
outlet  of  the  vast  lake  of  Wener,  but  impeded  by  many 
rocks  and  cataracts.  The  most  important  is  the  river 
Dahl,  consisting  oftwo  conjunct  streams,  which  rise  in  the 
Norwegian  Alps,  give  name  to  the  province  of  Dalarn,  or 
Dalecarlia,  and,  after  a  course  of  about  260  British  miles, 
enter  the  Bothnic  gulph  ;  not  far  from  its  mouth  is  a  cata- 
ract, esteemed  little  inferior  to  that  of  the  Rhine  at  ^chaff- 


SWEDEN. 


183 


?.J^  Vk  perpendicular  height  being  between  30  and  40 
teet.  1  he  surrounding  scenery  also  assists  the  effect, 
which  IS  truly  sublime.  ' 

.  Jc!?^^!!,^'**?'^  "°"'''  ^"^ '"  Swedish  Lapland,  are  many 

AIns   rJ'fl  "'^^'*'  ""^''^  '-^'^^  ^^'«^  f*^"*  the  Norwegian 

a'lt^soo'm'n^^^^^^^  ''^^"'P'  of  Bothnia,  after  circuit's  of 

Lakes.        Few  countries  can  rival  Swedsn  in  the 

nrnv?n  '""^  oT^k""  °^  ^"^^^'  ^^^'^^  ^ear  in  almost  every 
province.     Of  these  the  most  important  is  the  Wener. 

brSh'if'"'  ^^"^^"^  ""^^  in  length  by  abouV  sS  in 
breddth,in  great  part  surrounded  with  forests,.and  rocks 

and  conflfnc"^*  ^  '^''^'''^.^  ^t  "^^»'''  ^^«""d*  ^it»»  fish, 
and  contains  many  romantic  isles. 

in  W^adth  '  wK^k'''';Ii^  ^^^'  °^  "^"^*  '^"&th  but  inferior 
m  breadth,  which  seldom  exceeds  twelve   miles.     This 

ect%n^i?^/"''°"'!u^'^  '^i;^  mountains  is  particulariy  sub- 
ject  to  storms  in  the  stillest  weather,  whence  arise  man v 
popular  tales  and  superstitions.  ^ 

.  The  lake  Meier,  at  the  conflux  of  which  with  the  Baltic 
miles"  intn'th  f^  .of  Stockholm,  is  about  sfxtyB^Uih 
wi  h  Di"tuf"fn.  ^^  ,^^&hteen  in  breadth,  and  is  sprinkled 
w  th  pictui-esque  isles.  And  to  the  S.  W.  is  the  lake  of 
H  eimar,  more  remarkable  for  its  proposed  utUity  in  the 
inland  navigation  than  for  its  extent  ^ 

Mountains.        Sweden  may  be  in  general  regarded 

cltrTsr''-Tn"^""'7  '  ^"  ^^^'h  respit  hi    stfS 
contrasted  with  Denmark  proper,  or  Jutland,  and  the  isles 
.The  chief  mountains  are  in  that  elevated  chain  ^vhich  dL' 
vides  Sweden  and  Swedish  Lapland  from  NorwaV    from 
v^hich  successive  branches  run  in  a  S.  E.  direccion 
th«  /^^F'^ABLE  AND  Animal  Productions.     *  Under 
^le  direction  of  the  colleges  established  for  the  improve- 
ment of  agriculture,  the  peasants  have,  at  length,  in  a%?Iat 
m  a  ure,  corrected  the  natural  sterility  of  their  counTrT' 
snn;     fr°"'^^^^  '/^'°"''  they  now  raise  gmin  enough  to 

gfn»  s=;tsf  -sy^-s 

Of  S "!'''"'  *u'"'"' ^"""'y' o""- beans Ld^as 


184 


SWEDEN. 


dinavia,  arc  the  Nbrway  pine,  and  th*  fir  :  of  these  there 
are  immense  forests  spread  over  the  rocky  mountains,  and 
deepening  with  their  sullen  hue  the  whole  horizon ;  thou- 
sands of  giant  growth  are  every  winter  overthrown  by  the 
storms,  and  allowed  to  perish  where  they  fall  from  tire 
impossibility  of  transporting  them  to  the  sea ;  others  in 
more  accessible  situations,  are  converted  to  various  hu- 
man uses ;  the  wood  from  its  lightness  and  straightocss  is 
excellent  for  masts  and  yards,  and  various  domestic  pur- 
poses ;  the  juice,  as  tar,  turpentine,  and  pitch,  is  almost  of 
equal  value  with  the  v/ood ;  and  the  inner  bark,  mixed 
with  rye  meal,  furnishes  a  coarse  bread  in  time  of  scarcity. 
The  mountain  ash,  the  alder,  the  birch,  and  dwarf  birch, 
and  several  kinds  of  willow,  are  found  in  the  whole  penin- 
sula ;  the  lime,  the  elm,  the  ash,  and  the  oak,  though  grow- 
ing with  freedom  in  the  southern  parts,  are  incapable  of 
withstanding  the  rigours  of  a  Lapland  winter. 

The  Swedish  horses  are  commonly  small  but  spirited  ; 
and  are  preserved,  by  lying  without  litter,  from  some  of 
the  numerous  diseases  to  which  this  noble  animal  is  subject. 
The  cattle  and  sheep  do  not  seem  to  present  any  thing  re- 
markable. Among  the  wild  animals  may  be  named  the 
bear,  the  lynx,  the  wolf,  the  bea^ver,  the  otter,  the  glutton, 
the  flying  squirrel,  &c.  The  rein-deer  of  Lapland  is  briefly 
described  in  the  account  of  the  Danish  monarchy.  Sweden 
also  presents  one  or  two  singular  kinds  of  falcons,  and  an 
infinite  variety  of  game. 

Minerals.  Sweden  has  some  gold  and  silver 
mines,  though  they  are  not  highly  valued.  Its  copper 
mines  are  rich :  the  chief  are  in  the  province  of  Dalecar- 
lia.  On  the  east  of  the  town  of  Fahlun  is  a  great  copper 
mine  supposed  to  have  been  worked  for  near  a  thousand 
years.  The  metal  is  not  found  in  veins,  bui  in  large  masses ; 
and  the  mouth  of  the  mine  presents  an  immense  chasm, 
nearly  three  quarters  of  an  English  mile  in  circumference, 
the  perpendicular  depth  being  about  1020  ieet.  About 
1 200  miners  are  employed.  Copper  is  also  wrought  in 
Jemtland  ;  and  at  Ryddarhytte  is  found  iron.  Nor  is  Sweden 
deficient  in  lead :  but  iron  forms  the  principal  product,  and 
the  mine  of  Danaraora  is  particularly  celebrated  for  the 
superiority  of  the  metal,  which  in  England  is  called  Ore- 
grund  iron,  because  it  is  exported  from  Oregrund  an  adja- 
cent port,  where  the  Bothnic  gulph  joins  the  Baltic.  Berg- 


SWEDEN. 


185 


man  describes  the  iron  mine  of  Taberg  in  Smoland,  as 
consisting  of  bed.  of  ore,  of  a  blackish  brown,  separated 
by  beds  of  mould  without  any  stone.  Xhis  enormous  mi- 
neralpile  is  rivalled  by  an  entire  mountain  of  iron  ore  near 
lornea,  in  Lapland;  and  at  Luleo  the  mountain  of  Celli- 
var  forms  a  mass  of  rich  iron  ore,  of  a  blackish  blue,  ex- 
tending  like  an  irregular  vein  for  more  than  a  mile,  and  in 
thickness  from  300  to  400  fathoms. 


SWEDISH  ISLANDS. 

Sweden  possesses  many  islands,  scattered  in  the  Baltic 
sea  and  gulph  of  Bothnia.  Kugen,  the  most  southerly, 
aflFords  as  it  were  a  passage  to  the  Swedish  possessions  in 
Pomerania.  It  was  annexed  to  Sweden  by  the  treaty  of 
Westphalia,  and  ,t  is  not  a  little  productive  in  grain  and 

nti^J       M  i^^;,  *?  ^^^  "^"^^  ^^*'  ^*  ^^^  long  island  of 
2i.?t  .;v'  ^^^f"\^"  ^^"gt'*  ^bo"t  seventy  milesTin  breadth 
!-♦»  I      7  •\5*''*^^*  ^*-'  ^"'^^  ^"*  strong,  and  the  fo- 
rests abound  with  deer,  nor  is  the  wild  boar  unknown.  Next 
occurs  the  island    of  Gothland,  about  seventy  miles  in 
kngth,  and  twenty.four  in  breadth;  a  fertile  district  re- 
markable  for  an  excellent  breed  of  sheep.     The  isles  of 
Aland  mark  the  entrance  of  the  Bothnic  gulph,  deriving 
their  name  from  the  largest,  which  is  about  forty  miles  ia 
ength,  and  fifteen  in  breadth,  containing  about  9000  inha- 
bitants, who  speak  the  Swedish  language,  though  included 
m  the  government  of  Finland. 


Q2 


PORTUGAL, 


i;t 


THE  ancient  name  of  this  country  was  Lusitania ;  that 
of  Portugal  is  of  recent  ori};;in.  In  the  Koman  period 
there  was  a  town  called  Calle^  now  Oporto,  near  the  mouth 
of  the  river  Douro ;  and,  this  having  been  enynently  dis- 
tinguished, acquired  the  name  of  Porto  Caile;  which,  as 
the  country  was  gradually  recovered  from  the  Moors,  was 
improperly  extended  to  the  whole  kingdom. 

Extent.  Portugal    extends    about    360  British 

miles  in  length  by  120  in  breadth ;  and  is  supposed  to  con- 
tain  about  27,280  square  miles,  which,  with  a  popu- 
lation of  1,838,879,  will  yield  67  inhabitants  to  the  mile 

square. 

Original  Population.  The  original  population 
of  Portugal  may  be  traced  in  that  of  Spain,  and  has  un'Ser- 
gone  the  same  revolutions. 

Historical  Epochs.  The  historical  epochs  of 
so  recent  a  state  cannot  be  numerous  ;  nor  is  it  necessary 
to  recur  to  those  ancient  events,  which  more  property  be- 
long to  the  general  history  of  Spain. 

1 .  The  kings  of  Asturias  subdue  some  of  the  Moorish 
chiefs  of  the  north  of  Portugal.  In  1054  Ferdinand  king 
of  Castile  extends  his  conquests  to  Coimbra ;  and  on  shar- 
ing his  dominions  among  his  sons,  Don  Garcia,  along 
with  (ialicia,  had  a  part,  of  Portugal,  whence  he  is  styled 
on  his  tomb,  A.  D.  1090,  Fex  Portu^alia  et  GalUcie. 

2.  Alphonso  VI.  brother  of  Garcia,  and  king  of  Castile, 
havinj;;  favourably  admitted  several  French  princes  to  his 
court,  among  them  was  Henry,  whom  he  nominated  count 
of  Portugal,  adding  his  natural  daughter  Theresa  in  mar- 
riage.   The  count  signalized  himself  by  many  victories 


PORTUGAL. 


isr 


I.  of  Portugal,  who  m  the  year  1 1  j9  gains  an  illustrious 
Victory  over  five  Moorish  princes,  and  iJ  acclaimed C^^^^^ 
his  troops  upon  the  field  of  battle.  ^  ^ 

3.  Alphonso  III.  about  the  year  1254,  comnletes  the 
conquest  of  Algarve.-Portupal  continued  to  be  fi,rt  J  e 
ma  succession  of  great  princes;  but  the  wars  a^-ains  the 
Moors  were  unhappily  followed  by  those  against  the  kings 

4.  Portugal  vyas  to  attract  the  admiration  of  Europe  bv 
her  commercml  discoveries.  In  1415  John  the  G^eat 
king  of  Portugal,  carrying  his  arms  into  Africa,  and  takbg 
the  c.ty  of  Ceuta,  an  impulse  was  j-iven  to  the  nationaS 

Maildra    The  l'  T  '"'  '^-^  ^°^^"^'"^«^  ^  posseSf 
Madeira.  1  he  Portuguese  discoveries  in  Africa  proceeded 

under  John's  successors,  Edwai-d,  and  Alpi.onso  V  Ind 
he  auspices  of  Pnnce  Henry,  till,  in  the  reign  of  JohnTi 

Ei:TvilV^\^'''''  "'^°°^  Hoi,e>andinthaVof 
Lmanuel,  V  asco  de  Gama  opened  the  East  Indies. 

5.  John  III.  admits  the  inquisition,  A.  D.  1526-  since 
.vhich  event  the  Portuguese  monarchy'has  rapidly  decS 

6.  bebastian  kmg  ot  Portugal  leads  a  powerful  armv  on 
an  Idle  expedition  into  Africa,  and  is  slain  in  battle  He°s 
succeeded  by  his  m.cle  Cardinal  Henry  ;  who  dyint  two 
Tpain,   iTsa     ^'  '"''"^'^  ""  ''''''  by' Philip' iTki'ng of 

7.  The  revolution  of  1640,  which  placed  the  house  of 
Braganza  on  the  throne  of  Portugal.  Little  of  consequence 
has  since  arisen,  except  the  eai thquake  at  Lisbon  in"755 
and  the  recent  intermarriages  with  Hpain,  which  pmmise 
at  no  remote  period,  to  unite  the  kingdoms.  P^°"^*^^' 

ri,;.fl     T'.?'"'''''^^-        '^^^  antiquities  of  Portugal  consist 
chiefly  of  Roman  monuments,  with  a  few  Moorish  rer^ains 

merly  a  Roman  aqueduct.     Amon^  the  antiquities  of  the 
n^iddle  ages  may  be  named  the  noble^  monastery  of  Batalha 
m  Urtuguese  1  stramadura,  about  60  miles  to  the  norf  h^f 
Lisbon,  founded  by  John  I. 'at  the  closTotLe  fourteenth 
century  in  consequence  of  the  ,reut  victoiy  over  the  khg 

cIlieH  th'V°"^u?^''^^  "^^^^  "^I^J^  monuments  of  whani 
called  the  Gothic  style  of  architecture. 

Catho^fc'-'Tra  stit'  r"^^'"  of  Portugal  is  the  Roman 
"wojic  ,  and  a  strict  observance  pf  its  duties  forms  one 


138 


PORJUGAL. 


of  the  national  characteristics.  There  are  two  archbishop- 
rics, and  ten  episcopal  sees  :  and  there  is  besides  a  patri- 
arch. The  niimber  of  parishesi  approaches  four  thousand. 
Government,  &c.  The  constitution  of  Portugal 
is  a  monarchy,  absolute  and  hereditary  ;  yet  in  case  of  the 
Ling's  demise  without  male  issue,  he  is  su  xeeded  by  his 
next  brother ;  whose  sons  heve  however  no  right  to  the 
throne  til!  confirmed  by  the  states.  The  chief  articles 
of  the  constitution  are  contained  in  the  statutes  of  Lamego, 
issued  by  Alphonso  I.  in  11 45.  The  laws  have  few  parti- 
cularities :  they  are  lenient  in  cases  of  theft,  which  must  be 
repeated  four  times  before  death  be  the  punishment. 

Divisions  and  Population.  Portugal  is  divided 
into  six  provinces.  Two  being  on  the  north  of  the  king- 
dom, two  in  the  middle,  and  two  in  the  south.  The  popu- 
lation of  the  whole  is,  according  to  Boetticher,  1,838,879  ; 
but  by  Murpliy's  statement,  2,588,470. 

Army,  &c.  The  army  is  only  computed  at  about 
24,000 ;  and  the  militia  might  perhaps  amount  to  as  great  a 
number.  The  naval  power,  once  considerable,  is  reduced 
to  thirteen  sail  of  the  line,  and  fifteen  frigates. 

Revenues.  The  revenue  is  calculated  at  2,000,000/. 
sterling,  and  the  gold  of  Brasil  mostly  ptisses  to  England  in 
return  for  articles  of  industry. 

Political  Importance  ANr  Relations,  Por- 
tugal retains  small  influence  in  trie  political  scale  of  Eu- 
rope. Her  commsrce  is  almost  wholly  dependent  on 
England  ;  but  by  land  she  is  exposed  to  no  danger  except 
from  Spain,  or  by  the  consent  of  Spain.  The  union  of  the 
two  countries  would  doubtless  be  advantageous  to  both  ; 
but  might  prove  detrimental  to  English  commerce,  and 
the  weight  of  England  in  the  Portuguese  councils  would 
iiifallibly  subside. 

Manners  and  Customs.  The  manners  and  cus- 
toms of  the  Portuguese  are  discriminated  into  those  of  the 
northern  and  southern  provinces,  the  former  being  more 
industrious  and  sincere,  the  latter  more  polite  and  indolent. 
In  general  the  Portugiiese  are  an  elegant  race,  with  regu- 
lar features  embrowned  by  the  sun,  and  dark  expressive 
eyes.  The  prejudices  of  nobility  are  as  common  and  per- 
nicioua  in  Portugal  as  in  Spain  ;  nor  is  that  general  inler- 
cour'^e  found  which  imparts  knowledge  and  vigour  to  so- 
cietv.    Lcidies  of  rauk  still  imitate  the  industry  of  their 


.     PORTUGAL.  189 

ancestors  in  spinning  flax  from  the  distaff :  and  the  orienta' 
manner  of  sitting  on  cushions  on  the  floor  is  often  practis- 
ed. The  dress  resembles  the  Spanish.  The  peasantry  re- 
main mis«rable  vassals  of  the  Fidalgos,  or  gentlemen. 

Language.  I'he  Portuguese  language  is  more 
re:  ^ote  fiom  that  of  Castile  than  might  be  er.pected  from 
the  circumstances.  As  the  royal  race  was  of  French  ex- 
tract,  It  18  supposed  that  many  of  the  words  are  derived 
trom  tue  Limosin  and  other  dialects  of  the  S.  of  France 
It  is  a  grave  and  solemn  speech. 

Public  Schools.  Edwcation  seems  greatly  ne- 
glected in  Portugal,  though  the  university  of  Coimbra  be 
of  ancient  date.  Th^tof  Evora  was  founded  in  1553  ;  and 
a  college  at  Masra  in  1772.  The  royal  academy  is  of  re- 
St*'''*''^^°"'  an^  the  design  aspires  to  considerable  public 

Cities  and  Towns.        Lisbon,  the  capital  city  of 
Portugal,  was  called  by  the  ancients  Ulyssippo,  and  the 
foundation  fabulously  ascribed  to  Ulysses.     The  situation 
IS  grand,  on  the  north  side  of  the  mouth  of  the  Ta^o,  and 
is  sheltered  on  the  N.  W.  by  a  ridge  of  hills.     The  haven 
is  capacious  and  excellent.     The  population  is  computed 
at  about  200,000.     The  earthquake  of  1755,  a  dreadful  and 
memorable  epoch  among  the  inhabitants,  has  contributed 
to  the  improvement  of  the  city,  the  new  streets  beinr  broad 
and  well  paved,  resembling  those  in  the  west  end  of  Lon- 
don,    Ihe  ppTiarchal  church  is  singularly  magnificent; 
and  the  revenue  is  computed  at  114,000/.     The  Eniclish 
have  an  open  burial  f^round.     The  royal  monastery  of  Be- 
lew,  iouiiaedby  kmg  Emamiel  in  1499,  stands  about  five 
r.nies  b.  W.  of  Lisbon  ;  and  to  the  north  is  a  noble  modern 
aqueduct  completed  in  1732. 

The  next  considerable  and  only  town  we  shall  notice  is 
Oporto  ;  seated  on  the  N.  side  of  the  river  Douro,  about 
live  miles  from  the  sea,  upon  the  declivity  of  a  hill,  so  that 
the  houses  rise  hke  an  amphitheatre.  The  streets  are 
llo^/ever  narrovv,  and  the  hr-uses  ill  constructed.  The 
churches  are  of  little  note :  the  British  factory  is  a  larce  and 
neat  ouildiug.  The  chief  exports  are  wine,  oranges,  le- 
mons,  Sec.  and  linen  cloth  to  the  American  colonies  in 
iJrasil.  

r.fi,  ^^■^'^'^s.         The  chief  edifices  of  Lisbon  are  the 
catnedral,  and  monasteries,  formerly  mentioned.     The  no- 


190 


PORTUGAL. 


bilitjr,  as  in  Spain,  crowd  to  the  capital,  whence  the  coun- 
try is  littie  decorated  with  villas.  Under  this  head  may  be 
also  classed  a  noule  aqueduct  of  two  leagues,  which  conveys 
water  from  the  rock  of  Liquor  for  the  use  of  the  city.  Under 
the  grand  arch  of  this  beautiful  edifice,  a  frigate  might 
pass  in  full  sail. 

Inland  Navigation.  Portugal  seems  to  have 
paid  no  attention  whatever  to  the  construction  of  canals  ; 
nor  perhaps  are  they  found  necessary,  in  a  country  abound- 
ing with  rivers,  and  bordered  with  an  ample  extent  of  sea 
coast. 

Manufactures  and  Commerce.  The  Portu- 
guese manufactures  are  few  and  unimportant ;  hats  and 
paper  have  been  lately  fabricated  at  Lisbon ;  but  the  chief 
manufactories  are  those  of  woollen  cloth  at  Covilham, 
Portalegre,  and  Azeitaon. 

A  considerable  commercial  intercourse  subsists  with 
England  ;  but  the  balance  in  favour  of  the  latter  appears  to 
be  about  400,000/.  sterling  :  and  Ireland  gains  by  her  ex- 
ports  about  63,000/.  annually.  The  Falmouth  packets 
bring  frequent  remittances  of  bullion,  coin,  diamonds,  and 
other  precious  stones ;  and  tor  a  considerable  time  the 
Portuguese  gold  money  was  current  in  England.  Besides 
woollens  and  hardware,  England  transmits  to  Portugal 
large  cargoes  of  salted  and  dried  fish,  the  last  article  to  the 
annual  amount  of  about  200,000/.  The  exports  of  Portugal 
are  chiefly  wine,  oil,  oranges,  lemons,  figs,  sugar,  cotton, 
cork,  drugs,  and  tobacco.  Portugal  also  maintains  a  con- 
siderable trade  with  her  flourishing  colony  in  Brasil,  the 
inhabitants  of  which  are  computed  at  900,000.  The  arti- 
cles  exported  to  America  are  chiefly  woollens,  linens/stuffs, 
gold  and  silver  lace,  fish  dried  in  Portugal,  hams,  sausages, 
&c.  with  gl  3s  manufactured  at  Marinha.  Brasil  returns 
gold,  silver,  pearls,  precious  stones  of  various  descriptions, 
rice,  wheat,  maize,  sugar,  molasses,  ornamental  timber, 
and  many  other  articles  rather  curious  than  important. 
The  drugs,  spices,  and  articles  used  in  dying  must  not 
however  be  omitted.  The  trade  with  the  East  Indies  is 
inconsiderable ;  and  that  with  the  other  European  nations 
scarcely  deserving  notice.  Some  .trade  is  also  carried  on 
with  the  American  states. 

Climate  and  Seasons.  The  climate  of  Portugal 
is  familiarly  known  to  be  most  excellent  and  salutary.    At 


PORTUGAL. 


19{ 


Lisbon  the  days  of  fair  weather  are  computed  to  amount  to 
200  in  the  year ;  and  those  of  settled  rain  seldom  exceed 
80.     1  he  medial  heat  is  generally  about  60*». 

RivBRs.  The  chief  rivers  and  mountains  of  Por- 
tugal have  been  already  enumerated  in  the  description  of 
Spam.  ^ 

Vegetable  and  Animal  Productions.  The 
vegetable  and  animal  productions  of  Portugal  may  be  re- 
prded  as  the  same  with  that  of  Spain.  The  horsrs  are 
however  much  inferior.  The  sheep  are  also  neglected,  and 
far  from  numerous  ;  but  swine  abound,  and  are  fed  wi€h 
excellent  acorns,  8Q  that  the  Portuguese  hams  are  de- 
servedly esteemed. 

Minerals.        The  mineralogy  of  Portugal  has  been 
almost  as  much  neglected  as  the  agriculture.    In  the  two 
northern  provmccs  are  seen  immense  mines,  supposed  to 
,   ""^  ''^liif  ^''^^^  ^y  the  Romans.    The  mouth  of  the 
.^^^^^■P^^°"&h  th^  »o^»d  rock,,,||  a  mile  and  a  half  in 
circum|pnce,and  upwards  of  500  fletdeep ;  at  the  bottom 
n  meas»s'2,400  feet  by  1,400.     MShy  subterranean  pas- 
^*^f  PW*^^  mountain  like  a  labyrinth,  and  the  whole 
works  are^  the  grandest  scale.    Small  veins  of  gold  have 
been  observed  in  the  mountains  of  Goes  and  Estralla: 
and  it  is  still  found  in  the  siind  of  some  streams.     Under 
the  domination  of  the   Spaniards,  a  mine  of  silver  was 
worked,  not  far  from  firaganza,  so  late  as  the  year  1628 
lin  was  also  found  in  various  parts  of  the  northern  pro- 
vinces.   There  are  lead  mines  at  Mursa,  Lamego,  and 
togo ;  copper  is  found  near  Elvis  and  in  other  districts 
Ihe  iron  mmes  are  neglected,  from  a  deficiency  of  fuel  • 
though  coal  be  found  jn  different  parts  of  the  kingdom* 
and  that  of  Buarcos  supply  the  royal  foundery  at  Lisbon' 
Lmery  is  found  near  the  Douro  j  and  many  beautiful  mar- 
bles abound  in  this  kingdom.    Fullers  earth  occurs  near 
uuimerans.    Portugal  also  boats  of  antimony,  manganese, 
Uismuth,  and  arsenic  ;  and  near  Castello-Branco  are  mines 
pt  quicksilver.     Rubies  have  been  discovered  in  Algarve  • 
jacinths  in  the  rivers  Cavado  and  Bellas ;  beryl  or  aquama* 
nnem  the  mountain  of  Estralla. 

th     .^^"^J^*^^  Curiosities.         On  the  north  bank  of 
e  river  x^ourt)  is  a  high  massy  cliiT,  with  engraved  letters 
or  hieroglyphics,    stained  with  vermilion  and  blue:    be- 
neath which  is  a  grotto  supposed  to  abouTid  with  bitumen. 


SWISSERLAND. 


THE  provinces  now  koo^wn  by  the  collective  name  of 
Swisserland,  were  in  ^cient  times  disting^jshed  by  several 
appellations.  By  the  Romans  they  wcfc  »|^j||ded  as  a 
part  of  Gaul ;  and  the  chief  possessors  were  tt|K|Helvetii 
on  the  west,  and  the  Rhseti  on  the  east ;  the  chj^  city  of 
the  Helvetians' be. ug  Aventicum,  now  Avench^  On  its 
emancipation,  m  the  beginning  of  the  fourtee^plentury, 
from  the  house  of  Austria)  first  appeared  th|p|^dem  de- 
nomination of  Swisserland,  fltber  derived  ^pocni  the  canton 
of  Schweitz,  distinguished  in  ilbat  revolution,  or  from  the 
general  name  of  Schweitzers,  givea  by  the  Austrians  to 
this  alpine  people. 

Extent.  In  length  from  east  to  west,  Swisserland 
extends  about  200  British  miles  ;  and  in  breadth,  from 
north  to  south,  about  1 30.  The  contents  in  square  miles 
have  been  estimated  at  14,960  ;  but  the  greater  part  is  lost 
to  human  industry,  consisting  of  vast  rocks,  partly  covered 
with  eternalice  and  snow.  Even  of  this  country,  the  boun- 
daries are  rather  arbitrary  than  natural ;  though  on  the 
west  mount  Jura  forms  a  grand  division  from  France ;  and 
on  the  south  tMfe  Pennine  Alps,  a  partial  barrier  from  Italy. 
On  the  east  lies  the  Austrian  territory  of  Tyrol,  and  on  the 
north  is  Swabia,  containing,  as  it  were  an  excrescence  of 
Swisserland  on  the  other  side  of  the  Rhine,  the  small  can- 
ton of  Schaff  hausen. 

Divisions.        The  Swiss  league,  before  the  French 

Six  of the 


\j\FZi  JX:SX.\iXJ.      TJX.       I.ZXZ1  t.^vxz 


cantons,  together  with  their  subjects  and  allies 
cantons  are  Protestant,  and  seven  Roman  Catholic 


SWISSERLAND.  19  j 

;  ,.®*'/:'*'AL  Population.  The  original  population 
.s  thought  to  have  been  Celtic;  yet  it  vrould  be  difficuk, 
either  from  history  or  from  ancient  appellations,  to  trace 
the  residence  of  the  Celts  in  Swisserland ;  and  there  is 
every  reason  on  the  contrary  to  believe  that  the  Helvetians 
were  a  <:,othic  race,  a  very  ancient  colony  of  Germans 

Historical  Epochs.       The  chief  historical  epochs 
may  be  arranged  m  the  following  order : 

1.  The  wars  with  the  Romans;  the  subjugation  of  the 
Helvetii  and  Rh^ti,  and  the  subsequent  events  till  the  de- 
dine  ot  the  Roman  empire  in  the  west 

ii,!v'^^I  ^''^"P'jfip^^  Alemanni  in  the  beginning  of 

fj'  ^Jt^  subjugA)nof  the  irestern  part  of  Swisserland  as 

ttion  of  Bua^^^K  '!!f^2?°^«'  -^°  annexed  tha 
Fert  fn^LiS*'*^^*^     u  ^  ^f^*  °»  the  east  were  sub- 
ject  toJB^onc,  and  other  lun^  of  Italy. 

?nverBion  of  the  coui^  to  Christianity  by  the 
Columbanua,  GaUi^  and  others,  in  the  beein- 
leventh  century.  ^ 

Siwion  of  Alemanni  1  by  the  Huns  in  the  year 
the  mi^dlJ';;^^^^^'*'"''  "^''  ^'"^  barbarians^iU 
6.  About  the  ymt  1030  the  provinces  which  now  consti 
^  e  Swisserland  beg«t  to  be  regarded  as  a  part  of  the  em 
pire  of  Germany ;  and  in  the  course  of  two  centuries  th^v 
gradually  became  subject  to  the  house  of  Hapsburg  ^ 

\  D  T^n7''''T*?''^'"u"'  °^  '^'^  Swiss  emancipation, 
of  Auslria   '  "  «"'^«^<l"-nt  struggles  with  the  house 

8.  I^he  gradu'dl  increase  of  the  confederacy  the  Rnr 

■niddle  of  the  seventeenth  centur/  °^^"'"'  '"  "'" 

invasion,''! "rjj^ranll','"  '""^'^''■"y  by  the  French 

KfrU^A       '-^  ••--"■         iijc  ancient  monuments  of  SwJs 
m^^  „fT.T  """"'»""  <=<'"«='ting  chiefly  o?a  few  rel 
ioa.™  of ihe  Romans,  at  Aventicum^and  Vindernisrand 

R 


w 


I 


94 


SWISSERLAND. 


Rt  Baden,  of  the  ancient  Thermae  Helvetica.  Of  the  mid- 
dle ages  are  many  castles,  churches,  and  monasteries ; 
among  the  latter  that  of  the  abbey  of  St.  Gal,  the  library  of 
which  supplied  the  manuscripts  of  three  or  four  classical 
authors,  no  whrre  else  to  be  found. 

Religion.  The  religion  of  the  Swiss  countries  is 
in  some,  the  Roman  Catholic,  in  others,  the  Reformed. 
Of  the  former  persuasion  are  Uri,  Schweitz,  Underwalden, 
cantons  which  founded  the  liberty  of  the  country,  with 
Zug,  Lucerne,  Friburg,  Solothurn,  part  of  Glarus,  and  Ap 
penzel.    In  these  are  found  six  J^iJipprics,  and  one  me 


oftheCalvinistii: 

h  and  extensive 

haffhausen,  the 

ins  of  Appenzel. 

itant ;  and  Val- 

scene  of 

in  from 


iS  live 

rland 
power- 


tropolitan  see.  The  reformed 
or  Presbyterian  persuasioni  t 
canton  of   Bern,  with  Zuri^ 
greatest  part  of  Glarus,  «od  sopie  _ 
The  country  of  the  Griso||dl  ii  chiefly 
lais,  an  ally  of  the  thirtei^  cstntons,  has 
atrocious  persecutions  0  account  of  its  dt 
the  Catholic  faith  ;  but  ||  general  the  twope 
in  the  most  amiable  uni^pffid  moderation. 

Government.  ^Ithe  government  of 
has  been  a  fertile  theni«  of  diaenssion;  The 
ful  cantons  of  Bern,  Zurich,  Uiocme,  and  Friburg,  had  re 
tained  much  of  the  feudal  aristocn^  ferm.  The  other 
cantons  were  more  democratic ;  but  the  recent  subversion 
of  the  government  by  the  French  tias  for  some  time  re- 
duced Swisserland  to  a  dependent  prevince,  with  new  di- 
visions and  arrangements.  The  laws  of  course  partook  of 
the  nature  of  the  government  of  each  canton  ;  and  under 
the  aristocracies  we're  sufficiently  jealous  and  severe.  Yet 
Swisseriand  was  one  of  the  happiest  countries  in  Europe, 
and  recommended  itself  to  the  most  intelligent  observers 
equally  by  moral  and  by  physical  grandeur  and  beauty. 

Population.  The  population  of  this  mteresting 
country  is  generally  computed  at  2,000,000,  or  about  130 
to  the  square  mile.  But  so  large  a  portion  is  umnhabite- 
ble,  that  on  a  subtraction  of  such  parts  the  number  might 
be  about  200  to  the  square  mile.  ,        ,     * 

\HMY.        The  military  force  was  reckoned  at  about 
20,000;  but  in  the  late  strug'^le  with  France  this  force  ap^ 

'         .      !._.„  U^««  A,.riA^A    anri  htt}t-  pftertual.       Ihe  Swiss 

Dears  lo  jiuvc  uttu  viinvivi., . — ^_ 

Regiments  in  foreign  service,  mostly  that  of  France,  were 


SVVISSERLAND,  |,J5 

Srand*,!?/  """  "■"y  «"'">^<I  w^^ikened  in  frame  and 
Rkvekue         ^l-r""  ^^■■"'^^^"'k  to  th«  state. 
nBVENUE.         1  he  ruinous  effects  of  Frenrh  pvin,. 

KneX'-'oXuiirf'  '"'  '"^K  "'™"'  of  LisSanT  vT; 
inT  arUiiirf^^        somewhat  n^ore  than  a  million  ster- 

poii^flmpPa^aX:^^^^^^^^^^^ 

merged  m  those  of  the   French  rRnnhitr   lif    ,,  T' 

Swiss  emancipate  their  coun  ry  'heTchief  obiec7w„l' 

Crif     Th  •  ?"y"«al>le  as  a  strict  alliance  with 

™a!!e  ih.  proximity  to  France  introduced  the  lan- 

oftheirri^    '*"""■  J^^'o^'^of  Austria,  were  the  cause 

corr„«^''T  *'"'  Customs.  Amidst  the  seneral 

ri,7L^^    of  manners,  those  of  the  Swiss  have  lonl  ex 

pendent  ThlT  '''"'  ■"""'  """^""''^  and  frSndel 
Sithe  "•  ,  It^Tr  "■*  ?\"'"'.'y  instructed  of  wood, 
vM  .I.--  P"*  '°™'  *'">  staircases  on  the  outsid/' 

."y  an^^lte  JlT^h'"''?'''"''"'  "> '"''"  "«'™  'or- 
nate their  existence  ThU  •  °'  ■^'"™  """•«  """■•mi- 
able,  and  Hable  to  be  awaken^SbTr"  ''?°^'.  '^"=^'''- 
cumstances.  Hence  inThe  Frl.^  the  most  minute  cir- 
tiie  Ranees  de"  Vaches  oft^n^  ^  armies  the  tune  called 
n>«ds  when  thev  went  m  .h  !"^  ^^  ""^  ^"''^  ™i^- 
dieted,    tecause  iTrnZHtf^""''";  ™'  <^'"-"''«"y  '"ter- 

.ars  k„dSLli;:rp;^LTdt?.r  ^"'''^ 


196 


SWISSERLAND. 


! 

i 


Education.  The  important  subject  of  education 
has  been  little  illustrated  by  the  travellers  into  Swisserland ; 
but  as  they  testify  their  surprise  at  the  knowledge  general- 
ly prevalent  among  the  peasantry,  there  is  reason  to  infer 
that  this  useful  province  is  not  neglected.  There  is  an 
university  of  some  reputation  at  Geneva,  and  another  at 
Basel ;  with  colleges  at  Berne,  Zurich,  and  Lucerne. 

Cities  and  Towns.  In  enumerating  the  chief 
cities  and  towns  of  Swisserland,  according  to  the  compara- 
tive standard  of  population,  Basel  will  engage  the  first  at- 
tention, being  supposed  to  contain  14,000  souh.  This  city 
stands  in  a  pleasant  situation  upon  the  banks  of  the  Rhine, 
here  broad,  deep,  and  rapid.  It  crowns  both  banks,  and  is 
united  by  a  bridge.  The  cathedral  is  an  ancient  Gothic 
edifice,  containing  the  tomb  of  the  great  Erasmus ;  and  the 
university  has  produced  many  illustrious  men. 

Bern  claims  the  next  rank  to  Basel,  possessing  a  popula- 
tion of  about  1 3,000.  This  city  is  of  singular  neatness  and 
beauty,  the  streets  being  broad  and  long,  and  the  hgiuses  of 
grey  stone  resting  on  arcades.  There  are  several  streams 
and  fountains ;  and  the  river  Aar  almost  surro«i»ids  the 
city.  Bern  contains  several  libraries  and  collections  of 
natural  curiosities. 

Zurich  is  the  third  in  rank  among  the  Swiss  cities,  situ- 
ated on  a  large  lake,  amidst  a  populous  and  fertile  country, 
which  produces  abundance  of  wine  for  domestic  consump- 
tion. The  college  and  plans  of  education  are  respectable; 
and  the  public  library  contains  some  curious  manuscripts. 
Lausanne  contains  about  9000  inhabitants  and  is  deserv- 
edly celebrated  for  the  beauty  of  its  situation,  though  in 
some  spots  deep  and  rugged.  The  church  is  a  magnifi- 
cent Gothic  building,  having  been  a  cathedral,  while  the 
Pays  du  Vaud  was  subject  to  the  house  of  Savoy. 

Edifices.        The  chief  edifices  of  Swisserland  are 
in  the  cities,  and  hsive  been  already  noticed. 

Commerce  and  Manufactures.  Commerce 

and  manufactures  do  not  much  flourish  in  this  inland  re- 
gion. Cattle  constitute  the  chief  produce  of  the  country ; 
and  some  of  the  cheese  forms  an  export  of  luxury.  The 
chief  linen  manufactures  were  at  St.  Gal.    Printed  cottons, 

I ,i._i -»!--  ^ --~~; J-^_«l-,l;n  r>i.4-!^1oo  Aif  col*»    nnr  are 

•lllll    VVil(.i;iIC3  UI3V  iUHil  *-U113lUCi  auiv   ai  ti-^^ivij  \}z  uAl-^-j  '••J- 

silk  manufactures  unknown  in  Swisserlaud. 


SWISSERLAND. 


197 


Climate  AND  Seasons.  The  climate  of  Swisser- 
land  IS  deservedly  celebrated  as  salubrious  and  delightful. 
From  Its  southern  position  considerable  heat  miRht  be 
expected ;  but  this,  though  sufficient  to  mature  the  grape, 
IS  attempered  by  the  cold  gales  from  the  Alps  and  glaciers. 
When  the  sun  descends  beyond  Mount  Jura,  on  a  sum- 
mer evening,  the  Alpine  summits  long  reflect  its  splendour, 
and  the  lakes  for  near  an  hour  assume  the  appearance  of 
burnished  gold.  The  winter  is  however  in  some  parts  ex- 
tremely severe  ;  and  the  summer  heat  in  the  deep  vales 
sometimes  oppressive. 

Rivers.  The  rivers  of  Swisserland  are  nume- 
rous ;  and  among  the  most  sublime  scenes  of  this  country 
must  be  classed  the  sources  of  the  Rhine  and  Rhone,  twp 
01  the  most  important  streams  in  Europe. 

The  Rhine  rises  in  the  country  of  the  Grisons,  from  a 
glacier  upon  the  summit  of  mount  Badur,  at  the  head  of  a 
valley,  called  the  Rhinewald.  From  its  source  the  Rhine 
pervades  or  borders  Swisserland,  for  about  the  space  of  200 
British  miles,  running  N.  E.  to  the  lake  of  Constance, 
whence  it  bends  W.  to  Basel ;  where  it  begins  its  lont?  nor' 
thern  course.  ° 

The  Aar  arises  in  the  Alp  called  the  Grimsel,  bending 
Its  course  to  the  N.  W.  till  it  arrives  near  Arberg,  it  after*- 
wards  turns  N.  E.  receives  the  Reuss  and  the  Limmat,  and 
joins  the  Rhine  opposite  to  Waldshut,  after  a  course  of 
about  1 50  British  miles. 

The  Reuss,  which  divides  Swisserland  into  two  almost 
equal  parts,  eastern  and  western,  springs  from  the  lake  of 
Lucendro  on  the  xN.  W.  of  St.  Gothard.  The  Reuss  joins 
the  Aar,  alter  a  course  of  about  80  British  miles. 

The  Rhone,  a  noble  stream,  can  only  be  regarded  as  a 
Swiss  river  prior  to  its  entering  the  lake  of  Geneva,  after  a 
course  of  about  90  British  miles  through  that  extensive  vale 
called  the  Vallais.  This  river  rises  in  mount  Furca,  the 
source  being  rather  warm,  and  about  5400  feet  above  the 
sea,  '.' 

Lakes.  The  lakes  of  Swisserland  are  numerous 
and  interesting.  The  most  considerable  are  those  of  Con- 
stance on  the  N.  E.  and  (^fn»>va  r.p  *>.«  c  is/    tm.,.  r... 

in  some  places  15 


IS  about  45  British  miles  in  length,  and 


in  breadth 


R3 


198 


SWISSiERLAND. 


V 

I 

i 

I 


The  lake  of  Geneva  extends  in  the  form  of  a  crescent, 
about  40  British  miles  in  length,  and  nine  at  its  greatest 
breadth.  The  beauties  of  this  lake  have  been  celebrated  by- 
Rousseau,  but  would  be  considerably  increased  if  it  were 
sprinkled  with  islands.  Next  to  these  are  the  lakes  Mag- 
giore,  and  [.u[;ano.  The  lakes  of  Neufchatel  and  Zurich 
and  some  others  of  inferior  note. 

Mountains.  The  mountains  of  Swisserland  are 
the  most  celebrated  in  1  urope  ;  and  are  supposed  to  yield 
in  height  to  none,  except  those  of  South  America.  In  a 
general  point  of  view  the  Alps  extend,  in  a  kind  of  semi- 
circular form,  from  the  j^ulph  of  Genoa  through  Swisser- 
land, which  contains  their  centre  and  highest  parts ; .  and 
terminate  in  the  Carnic  Alps  on  the  N.  of  the  Adriatic  sea. 
This  chain  has  been  divided  into  different  portions,  known 
by  flistinct  appellations.  The  maritime  Alps  are  those 
which  arise  from  the  gulph  of  Genoa.  Mont  Genevre, 
whence  springs  the  river  Durance,  was  anciently  named 
the  AlpisCottia,  from  Cottius  a  prince  who  resided  at  Suza. 
Farther  to  the  N.  were  the  Alpes  Graiae,  now  the  little  St. 
Bernard.  The  Alpes  Penninae  consisted  of  the  great  St. 
Bernard,  Mont  Blanc,  and  the  grand  chain  extending  on 
the  S.  of  the  Rhone,  to  the  N.  of  modern  Piedmont :  the 
eastern  part  being  also  styled  the  Lepontine  Alps,  from  a 
people  who  inhabited  that  region  which  gives  origin  to  the 
Rhone  and  Tesino.  The  Rhaetian  Alps  extended  through 
the  Grisons  and  Tyrol,  terminating  in  the  Carnic,  or  Ju- 
lian Alps.  That  chain  which  pervades  Swisserland,  from 
mount  Santez  in  the  S.  W.  towards  the  sources  of  the  Irm 
on  the  N.  E.  was  known  by  the  appellation  of  the  Helvetian 
Alps.  Some  writers  admit  of  more  minute  divisions,  as 
the  Tridentine  Alps  above  Trent;  and  the  Noric  Alps 
above  the  source  of  the  river  Tagliamento.  The  extent  of 
this  vast  course  of  mountains  may  be  computed  at  about 
550  British  miles.  Of  all  these  stupendous  works  of  na- 
ture Mont  Blanc  is  the  highest,  being  15,662  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  sea. 

Vegetable  and  Animal  Productions.  In  no 
country,  of  which  so  great  a  proportion  consists  of  lakes 
and  mountains,  can  agriculture  be  carried  to  a  great  ex- 
tent. But  there  is  no  want  of  industry,  and  the  grain  seeuis 
sufficient  for  domestic  consumption.  Barley  is  cultivated 
even  to  the  edge  of  the  glaciers  ;  oats  in  regions  a  little 


8WISSERLAND.  199 

warmer ;  rye  in  those  still  more  sheltered ;  and  spelt  in 
the  warmest  parts.     Yet  in  general  the  produce  does  not 
exceed  five  for  one ;  and  it  has  been  found  necessary  to 
support  public  granaries,  in  case  of  any  deficiency.     The 
country  being  fitted  by  nature  for  pasturage,  the  chief  de- 
pendence  of  the  Swiss  is  on  his  cattle.  A  considerable  quan- 
tity ot  flax  IS  also  cultivated,  and  tobacco  has  been  lately 
introduced.     Vines  are  cultivated  in  some  of  the  districts. 
There  is  also  abundance  of  fruit,  apples,  pears,  plums, 
chernes,  filberts  ;  together  with  mulberries,  peaches,  and 
other  products  of  a  uarmcrcHmatc.   In  the  Alpine  valleys, 
and  along  the  course  of  the  torrents,  vegetation  assumes 
a  stately  appearance;  the  juniper,  the  savine,  the  stone- 
pine,  and  alder,  broken  by  nature  into  irregular  thickets, 
diversify  the  scene. 

On  the  declivities  of  the  mountains,  commence  the  fo- 
rests ot  larch,  of  pme,  and  fir,  intermixed  here  and  there 
with  the  yew,  the  mountain  ash,  and  the  birch. 

Where  the  firwoods  cease,  the  subalpine  regions  begin, 
diversified  with  meadows  and  corn  fields,  and  forests  of 
deciduous  trees  The  oak,  the  elm,  the  beech,  the  ash, 
he  ime,  and  the  hornbeam  are  tlie  most  prevalent,  and 
he  borders  of  the  streams  are  shaded  by  poplars  and  wil- 
lows.  The  plants  are  chiefly  those  which  occur  in  the 
north  and  midland  parts  of  France  and  Germany 

1  he  hoi-ses  of  bwisserland  are  esteemed  for  vigour  and 
spirit :  and  the  cattle  attain  great  size.  Among  the  ani- 
mals peculiar  to  the  Alps  may  be  first  named  the  ibex,  or 
rock  goat.  Ihis  ammal  resembles  the  common  goat:  but 
the  horns  of  the  male  are  extremely  lon;.^  and  thick.  The 
h7k'  TK^V^"'*  ^n'  ^**'°"»'^d.  With  a  black  list  along  the  - 
fe.r.f  I  ^l^ex.^i"  mount  a  perpendicular  rock  of  fifteen 
leet,  at  three  springs,  bounding  like  an  elastic  body  struck 
against  a  hard  substance.  ""uysuucK 

Another  singular  animal  is  the  chamois,  which  is  com 
monly  seen  in  herds  of  twenty  or  thirty  with  Tcentinel  who 
alarms  them  oy  asnrill  cry.  The  colo^isyeL2rbrow„ 
but  Ihey  sometiines  occur  speckled.  Tlie  food  is  ihe  lichen 

oHiss  mountams.     In  summer  thev  feed  on  ninm.  «i..„  J 

s"umm.''"'!f^''^'''  ^'S^^"S  ^^^"»'n^^«  in  the  ground  for 
(2  '  ^'^-  ""'^^'^  ^°^  ^i»t^»*-  About  the  beginiW  of 
October,  bavmg  provided  hay,  they  retreat  to  leir  hojj^f 


200 


SWISSERLAND. 


■where  they  remain  torpid  till  the  spring.  The  size  is  be- 
tween that  of  the  rabbit  and  the  hare.  Amonja;  Alpine  birda 
may  be  named  the  vulture,  called  also  the  golden  or  beard- 
ed vulture.  It  inhabits  the  highest  Alps,  forming  its  nest 
in  inaccessible  rocks,  and  preying  on  the  chamois,  white 
hare,  marmot,  and  sometimes  on  kids  and  lambs. 

Minerals.  The  mineralogy  of  this  interesting 
country  is  not  so  important  as  we  might  be  led  to  infer  from 
its  mountainous  nature.  Gold,  copper  and  lead  hnve  been 
found  in  small  quantities ;  but  the  chief  mines  are  those  of 
iron  in  the  country  of  Sargans.  In  the  canton  of  htm, 
there  are  valuable  quarries  of  rock  salt:  and  it  is  said  that 
coal  and  native  sulphur  are  not  unknown.  Rock  crystal 
forms  perhaps  the  chielexportofSwisserland,  being  some- 
times found  in  such  large  pieces  as  to  weigh  seven  or  eight 
hundred  weight. 

Natural  Curiosities.  To  enumerate  the  na- 
tural curiosities  of  Swisserland  would  be  to  describe  the 
country.  The  Alps,  the  glaciers,  the  vast  precipices,  the 
descending  torrents,  the  sources  of  the  rivers,  the  beauti- 
ful lakes  and  cataracts,  arc  all  natural  curiosities  of  the 
greatest  singularity,  and  most  sublime  description.  Of 
late  the  glaciers  have  attracted  particular  attention  ;  but 
those  seas  of  ice,  intersected  with  numerotisdeep  fissures, 
owing  to  sudden  cracks  which  resound  like  thunder,  must 
yield  in  sublimity  to  those  stupendous  summits  clothed 
with  ice  and  snow,  the  latter  often  dtscendmg  in  what  are 
called  avalanches,  or  prodigious  balls,  which,  gathering  as 
they  roll,  sometimes  overwhelm  travellers  and  even  vil- 
lages. 

On  the  north  of  Swisserland  the  Rhine,  ne'>''  the  village 
of  Nauhasen,  descends  in  a  cataract  of  40  feet  ajindst.  alack 
and  horrid  recks.  Among  the  milder  char-  *  f  >a,  oun- 
try  may  be  named  the  lakes  ;  and  the  small  lake  of  Kandel 
Steig  bears  at  one  extremity  the  charms  of  summer, 
while  the  other  presents  the  glaciers  and  pomp  of  winter, 
Numerous  rills,  which  descend  from  the  mountains,  often 
fali  i.  V  iscades  of  great  beauty,  among  which  that  of 
r*=;ni:;  -ch  h  computed  at  900  feet,  over  a  rock  as  perpcn' 
dlc'Ak '  *8  a  wall. 


GERMAN  STATES. 


IN  describing  an  extensive  country,  subdivided  intoroaiiy 
states,  it  becomes  indispensable  to  give  a  general  idea  of 
the  whole,  before  the  respective  territories  are  delineated. 
The  geography  of  Germany  is  the  most  perplexed  of  aiy 
region  on  the  globe,  the  great  divisions,  or  circles^  being 
now  interwoven,  and  almost  antiquated,  while  no  modern 
and  more  rational  distribution  has  yet  appeared. 

Extent.  Germany,  considered  in  its  modern  li- 
mits,  extends  about  600  British  miles  in  length,  from  the 
isle  of  Rugen  in  the  north,  to  the  southern  limits  of  the 
circle  of  Austria.  The  modern  breadth,  from  the  Rhine 
to  the  eastern  boundary  of  Silesia,  is  about  500  British 
miles  :  anciently  the  breadth  extended  beyond  the  Vistula, 
about  200  miles  more  to  the  east. 

Original  Population.  This  country  appears 
to  have  been  full  of  extensive  forests,  even  in  the  Roman 
period,  and  of  course  to  have  been  in  many  parts  thinly 
peopled.  The  Cimbri,  or  modern  Celts,  possessed  several 
tracts  in  the  south,  as  they  certainly  occupied  a  larpe  por- 
t!c  .  of  the  N.  W.  The  N.  E.  of  Germany  was  held  by  the 
Finnish  nations  ;  but  both  were  obliged  to  yield  to  the  in- 
vasion  of  the  Scythians  or  Goths  who  migrated  westward 
hom  their  original  seats  on  the  Euxine,  long  before  the 
Koman  interference  in  the  affairs  of  those  countries. 

Historical  Epochs.  Some  of  the  grand  histori- 
cal epochs  have  already  been  mentioned,  in  describing 
those  large  portions  of  Germany,  the  Austrian  and  Prus- 
sian dominions  ;  and  some  of  the  others  ma^  he  briefl" 
hinted  in  the  account  of  the  respective  states.'  Suffice  "it 
oereto  mention:   1.  The  ancient  period,  chiefly  resting  on 


20S 


GERMAN  STATES. 


the  ;ircount  of  the  Roman  and  Francic  historians.  2.  The 
middle  period.  In  the  end  of  the  eighth  century,  Charle- 
magne,  having  subdued  the  Saxons  and  other  parts  of  Ger- 
many and  Italy,  was  in  the  year  80C  proclaimed  emperor 
of  the  West.  His  successor  Louis  le  Debonnaire  held  the 
empire  with  France  ;  but  his  son  Lothaire  I.  was  restricted 
to  Germany.  After  many  intestine  commotions  Henry 
duke  of  Saxony  was  chosen  emperor  in  918,  and  this  line 
failing  1024,  was  followed  by  that  oi"  Franconia.  In  the 
twelfth  century  arose  the  factions  of  t'le  Guelphs  and  Gi 
belines,  and,  after  long  contests,  the  sceptre  was  at  length 
assigned  to  the  house  of  Austria  in  1273  ;  and  after  some 
deviations  continued  to  remain  in  that  family.  3.  The  mo- 
dern period,  which  may  be  traced  from  Charles  V.  or  from 
his  grandfather  Maximilian. 

Antiquities.  The  antiquities  of  Germany  con- 
uist  chiefly  of  a  few  Roman  remains  in  the  S.  and  W.  It 
would  be  endless  to  enumerate  the  churches  founded  by 
Charlemagne  ;  or  the  numerous  cartles  erected  by  power- 
ful princes  and  barons. 

Religion.  The  religion  </  the  greater  part  of 
Germany  may  be  pronounced  to  be  the  Reformed,  first  in- 
troduced into  Saxony  by  Luther.  Yet  the  south  continues 
firmly  attached  to  the  Roman  Catholic  faith,  now  chiefly 
supported  by  the  house  of  Austria. 

Government.  The  government  is  that  of  an  aris- 
tocracy, which  elects  a  monarch,  who  may  be  of  any  fami- 
ly, Catholic,  Lutheran,  or  Calvinist.  To  consider  the  con- 
stitution at  length,  which  hasbeen  called  by  a  German  Avriter 
"  a  confusion  supported  by  providence,"  would  be  foreign 
to  the  nature  of  this  work. 

Population,  &c.  The  population  of  Germany 
in  general  is  computed  at  little  more  than  25,000,000.  It 
was  supposed  that  the  empire  could,  if  united,  send  forth  a 
contingent  army  of  400,000;  but  such  calculations  are 
visionary  in  the  present  state  of  affairs.  The  revenues, 
political  importance  and  relations,  are  now  detached,  and 
have  already  been  in  a  great  part  considered  under  the  ar- 
ticles of  Prussia  and  Austria.  The  manners,  customs,  and 
dialects  vary  according  to  the  different  states.  The  Saxon 
is  accounted  the  purest  and  most  classical  idiom  of  the 
German  tongue  ;  and  the  southern  dialects  of  Swabia,  Ba- 
varia, and  Austria,  the  most  uncouth. 


In  th( 

nions  ar 

many. 

rally  di\ 

Rii 

and  im[ 

distingu 

Silesia, 

parative 

cities  on 

tenberg, 

stream  t 

Not  n 

first  rece 

and  the  I^ 

flows  abc 

river  are 

The  s( 

described 

rier  betwi 

computec 

not  only  ( 

pearance 

rocks  cro 

In  the 

river  is  tl 

nion  rises 

or  a  little 

navigable 

"ext  tril  I 

comes  fn 

the  receni 

varia.  Th 

of  Germa 

Orsova  it 

550  miles 

Euxine. 

The  N( 
in  the  Bh 
through  a 


ins.  2.  The 
ury,  Charle- 
)arts  of  Ger- 
led  emperor 
aire  held  the 
as  restricted 
tions  Henry 
and  this  line 
tiia.  In  the 
phs  and  Gi 
as  at  length 
d  after  some 
3.  The  mo- 
i  V.  or  from 

srmany  con- 

and  W.    It 

founded  by 

;d  by  power- 

ater  part  of 

led,  first  in- 

th  continues 

now  chiefly 

at  of  an  aris- 
>f  any  fami- 
der  the  con- 
rman  writer 
d  be  foreign 

»f  Germany 
)00,000.  It 
send  forth  a 
Illations  are 
e  revenues, 
tached,  and 
nder  the  ar- 
iistoms,  and 
The  Saxon 
Horn  of  the 
Swabia,  Ba- 


GERMAN  STATES.  20S 

In  the  descriptions  of  the  Austrian  and  Prussian  domi- 
nions are  contained  many  of  the  eastern  provinces  of  Ger- 

"^f,"'':..  .A^®P»^*w*»ich  remains  is  the  western  half,  natu- 
rally divided  mto  two  portions  by  the  river  Mayn. 

Rivers.  Both  portions  are  watered  by  numerous 
and  miportant  rivers.  In  the  north  the  Kibe  is  the  most 
distinguished  stream,  rising  in  the  Sudetic  mountains  of 
bUesia,  and  entering  the  sea  near  Cuxhaven,  after  a  com- 
parative course  of  more  than  500  British  miles.  The  chief 
cities  on  the  banks  of  the  Elbe  are  Dresden,  Meissen,  Wit- 
tenberg, Magdeburg,  from  which  it  runs  almost  a  solitary 
stream  to  Hamburg.  ^ 

Not  far  to  the  west  is  the  mouth  of  the  Weser,  which 
first  receives  that  name  when  its  two  sources,  the  Werra 
and  the  lulda  join.  Including  the  Werra,  its  chief  branch,  it 
flows  about  270  British  miles.  The  principal  towns  on  this 
nver  are  Bevern,  Minden,  and  Brenien. 

The  sources  and  mouths  of  th<i  Rhine  have  been  already 
described.  1  his  noble  river  forms  the  grand  ancient  bar. 
rier  between  France  and  Gei-many  ;  and  its  course  may  be 
computed  at  about  600  British  miles.  The  Rhineeau  is 
not  only  celebrated  for  its  wines,  but  for  the  romanfic  ap- 
pearance  of  the  country,  the  river  running  through  wild 
rocks  crowned  with  majestic  castles.  o  8         m 

In  the  southern  part  of  Germany  the  ^nost  important 
nver  is  the  Danube,  which  rxcording  to  the  common  opi- 
nion  rises  near  the  little  town  of  Donauschin^en  in  bwabia 
ora  hu  e  farther  to  the  north.  This  noble  ?iver  beceme^ 
navigable  a  little  above  Ulm,  where  it  receives  the  Her  The 
"ext  tributary  stream  of  consequence  is  the  Lech,  which 
comes  from  Tyrol,  r.  stream  distinguished  in  the  seat  of 

a  ia TheZi  u  ''  '''  ^r*  proceeding,  from  L  pper  Ba- 
varia.  1  he  Danube  runs  about  250  miles  through  this  part 
of  Germany,  passing  by  Ulm,  Ratisbon,  and  Passau.  To 
?50°l';r  ""'^lu^  considered  as  an  Austrian  river  for  about 
EuxilTe      *  '^  ''  '^'"'^^''^  ^"'  ^•'^"^  ^^^   ^<^  the 

in  uL' B^L'rlH' '' l'''^*!^^^^^  '"'"""'  ""^  '^^  «^'"«»  rising 
hrouo-h  !  .  ^'''''*'  -^"^  '"""'"^  ^"^^"^  ^'''  British  miles 
1„3^  ^  f:**"«try  variegated  with  vineyards.  Another  and 
^^^cv  iriDutary  stream  of  the  Rhine  is  the  Mayn,  which 
*fter  receiving  the  Rednitz^nd  other  considerable  streams. 


204 


GERMAN  STATES. 


joins  the  Rhine  to  the  S.  of  Mentz.  The  Mayn  is  a  muddy 
stream,  but  abounds  with  trout,  carp,  and  other  fish. 

Lakes.  Germany  presents  few  lakes,  the  largest 
being  in  the  duchy  of  Mecklenberg,  where  the  lake  of  Plau 
extends  under  various  names  about  25  British  miles,  in 
length,  by  6  in  breadth. 

Mountains.  The  most  northern  mountains  in 
Germany  are  those  of  the  Hartz,  called  the  Brocken  or 
Blocksberg.     The  highest  about  302 1  feet. 

The  Hessian  territories  may  be  regarded  as  generally 
mountainous,  especially  towards  the  north.  Thence  S.  W. 
towards  the  Rhine  are  several  considerable  hills,  among 
which  may  be  mentioned  those  in  the  west  of  Wetterau, 
and  the  seven  hills  near  the  Rhine  almost  opposite  to  An- 
dernach  ;  with  the  ridge  of  Heyrich  which  protects  the 
vines  of  Rhinegau. 

But  the  most  celebrated  mountains,  in  that  part  of  Ger- 
many which  lies  to  the  N.  of  the  Mayn,  are  the  Erzgeberg, 
or  Metallic  Mountains,  which  rise  to  the  N.  E.  of  the 
Fichtelberg,  running  between  Bohemia  and  Saxony,  but 
supplying  both  countries  with  silver,  tin,  and  other  me- 
tals. 

Among  the  German  mountains  to  the  S.  of  the  Mayn 
may  first  be  named  the  Bergstrass,  a  ridge  passing  from 
near  Manheim  to  the  vicinity  of  Frankfort.  The  moun- 
tains of  the  Black  Forest,  in  German  Schwartzwald,  extend 
from  near  Neuenburg,  in  the  territories  of  Wurtemberg 
south  to  the  four  forest  towns  on  the  Rhine.  The  soutiiern 
part  is  called  the  High,  and  the  northern  the  Lower  forest: 
the  length  being  about  80  and  the  breadth  20  British  miles, 

The  south  east  of  this  portion  of  (iermany  is  bounded 
by  the  high  mountains  of?  varia  and  Salzia  or  Salzburg; 
being  branches  or  continuations  of  the  Swiss  or  Tyrolese 
Alps,  but  without  general  appellations.  The  Alps  of  Salz- 
burg exceed  in  height  the  Carpathian  chain  or  the  Py- 
renees, and  only  yield  to  the  Swiss  and  Tyrolese  Alps,  the 
highest  summits  being  computed  at  more  than  10,000  feet 
above  the  sea. 

Vegetable  and  Animal  Productions.     As  Spain 
is  distinguished  by  its  groves  of  cork  trees  and  ilex,  and 

C  ^^m^^l*-t.nMtlr%  K«9  ifc3    J^M     %MTr^r\Ac      o^  «a    I  ^  ^-fci»rrion«r  T»*i»v»Qt*b'anlP  tor 
k^L^ailUIliaTici  VT    2.;.J    tat       rrt-j^^viaj    ov/  xo   •-  -\-x  rxji«i3j     2  v  .Eia«t  «»-»■ 

its  deep  and  almost  impenetrable  forests  of  oak :  not  indeed, 
that  this  is  the  invaiiable  characteristic  of  the  country,  for 


GERMAN  STATES. 


205 


in  an  empire  of  such  great  extent,  and  of  so  varied  a  sur- 
face, it  must  needs  happen  that  the  native  vegetable  pro- 
ductions on  the  shore  of  the  German  ocean  should  differ 
considerably  from  those  in  the  Black  Forest  or  on  the  fron- 
tiers of  Tyrol.  There  is  however  on  the  \«rhoIe  more  uni- 
formity than  might  be  expected,  and  though  perhaps  few 
plants  are  absolutely  peculiar  to  Germany,  yet  the  abun- 
dance of  some  species,  and  the  absence  of  others,  forms  a 
striking  feature  in  the  natural  history  of  the  empire,  of 
which  more  particular  notice  hereafter. 

The  zoology  of  this  western  half  of  Germany  corresponds 
so  much  with  that  of  the  Austrian  and  Prussian  dominions, 
that  little  need  be  added.  The  German  horses  are  gene- 
rally niore  remarkable  for  weight  than  spirit.  The  Ger- 
man wild  boar  is  of  superior  size ;  and  those  of  Westphalia 
are  in  particular  estimation.  In  the  N.  of  Germany  the 
lynx  is  sometimes  seen ;  and  the  wolf  is  common  in  the 
south. 


THE  CHIEF  GERMAN  STATES  ON  THE  NORTH  OF  THE 

MAYN. 


Saxony, — Brunswick. — Lunenburg.—Hessia.— Mecklenburg. 
Duchy  of  Brunswick.'^City  of  Hamburg. — Smaller  States. 
Ecclesiastic  Powers. 

IN  this  division  of  Germany  the  elector  of  Saxony  must 
be  regarded  as  the  chief  potentate,  his  territories  bein^ 
computed  at  11,680  square  miles,  the  inhabitants  at 
2,104,000,  and  the  revenue  at  1,300,000/.  sterling.  The 
name  is  derived  from  the  ancient  nation  of  the  Saxons, 
who  in  the  middle  ages  held  the  greatest  part  of  the  N 
and  W.  of  Germany. 

The  countries  comprised  in  the  electorate  of  Saxony 
are,  the  duchy  so  called,  Voigtland,  Lusatia,  and  part  of 
1  hunn^ia,  with  part  of  Misnia  and  Heneberg ;  being  in 
length  from  E.  to  W.  about  220  British  miles,  and  in 
breadth  from  N.  to  S.  about  130. 

The  religion  is  the  Protestant,  which  was  here  intro- 
ouced  by  Luther ;  and  there  are  two  bishoprics,  Merse- 
berg  and^Naumburg.     The  government  is,  as  usual  among 


206 


GERMAN  STATES. 


the  German  princes,  nearly  absolute,  but  conducted  with 
moderation  through  different  councils  Yet  there  are 
states  general  of  nobles,  clergy,  and  burgesses,  commonly 
assembled  every  sixth  year  to  regulate  the  taxation ;  and  the 
sovereign  can  issue  no  laws  without  their  consent.  The 
army  is  about  32,000,  and  the  political  weight  of  Saxony  in 
this  part  of  Germany  is  next  to  that  of  Prussia. 

The  language  and  literature  of  Saxony  are  the  most  dis- 
tinguished  in  all  Germany,  most  of  the  writers  who  have 
refined  the  language  having  been  born,  or  having  resided 
in  this  country.  There  are  many  schools,  colleges  and  aca- 
demies; among  the  latter,  the  mineralogic  academy  of 
Freyaerg,  instituted  in  1765,  is  esteemed  the  leading  school 
of  that  science.  The  chief  city  is  Dresden  on  the  Elbe, 
of  celebrated  neatness ;  and  about  50,000  inhabitants.  The 
manufactures  of  Saxony  are  thread,  linen,  laces,  ribbons, 
velvets,  carpets,  paper,  colours  derived  from  various  mi- 
nerals, glass,  and  porcelain  of  remarkable  beauty,  and  va- 
rious  works  in  serpentine  stone.  The  country  is  also  rich 
in  native  products,  both  agricultural  and  mineral,  and  beau- 
tiful pearls  are  found  in  the  Elster  in  shells  about  six  inches 
long.  With  such  advantages  Saxony  maintains  a  consi- 
derable inland  commerce ;  and  Leipsig  is  esteemed  one  of 
the  chief  trading  towns  of  Germany. 

The  climate  is  so  favourable  that  wine  is  made  in  Misnia. 
The  face  of  the  country,  especially  towards  the  south,  is 
beautifully  diversified  with  hill  and  dale ;  and  its  richness 
between  Meissen  and  Dresden  is  esteemed  to  rival  that  of 
the  north  of  Italy.  The  land  is  well  cultivated ;  the  pro- 
ducts, all  kinds  of  grain  and  vegetables,  with  hops,  flax, 
hemp,  tobacco,  saffron,  madder,  &c.  Chief  rivers,  the 
Elbe,  the  Saal  or  Sala,  the  Mulda,  the  Pleisse,  the  Elster, 
with  the  Spree  of  Lusatia.  Few  countries  can  boast  of  I 
such  fossil  opulence  as  Saxony.  The  mines  of  Johngeor- 
genstadt,  produce  silver,  tin,  bismuth,  manganese,  cobalt, 
wolfram,  &c.  At  Schneckenstein,  near  Averbacn  in  the 
Voigtland,  appears  the  topaz  rock,  unique  in  its  kind.  The 
tin  of  Saxony  is  not  only  a  rare  product,  but  is  excellent. 
Jet  is  also  found ;  and  abundance  of  fine  porcelain  clayi 
with  fullers'  earth,  marble,  slate,  serpentine,  agates,  and 

Next  in    consequence    is  the  electorate  of  Brunswick 
Lunenburg,  or,  as  often  styled  from  the  capital,  the  elcctoif 


GERMAN  STATES. 


207 


ate  of  Hanover,  containing  about  8224  square  miles,  with 
850,000  inhabitants,  and  the  computed  revenue  962,500/. 
sterling,  while  the  military  force  is  estimated  at  25,970. 
It  is  situated  in  the  circle  of  Lower  Saxony.    The  conn- 
tries  comprised  in  the  electorate  of  Hanover  are  chiefly 
the  duchy  of  Luneburg,  Bremen,  and  Verden,  and  Saxe 
Lauenburg  adjacent  to  Holstein  ;    with  the  countries  of 
Calenburg  and  Grubenhagen  in  the  south,  and  those  of 
Diepholtz  and  Hoya  in  the  west,  and  that  of  Danntberg  in- 
tlie  east.     It  may  be  computed  that  the  compact  part  of 
the  Hanoverian  dominions  extends  in  length,  east  to  west, 
about  180  miles:  and  in  breadth  N.  to  S.  about  100  miles; 
while  the  detached  duchy  of  Grubenhagen,  with  southern 
Calenburg  or  the  country  of  Gottingen,  ia  about  80  miles 
m  length  by  30  in^ts  greatest  breadth. 

The  religion  is  the  Lutheran.  The  government  ii? 
now  conducted  by  a  council  of  regency,  and  there  are  pro- 
vincial states,  though  rarely  summoned.  The  literature  of 
thiscountry  has  deserved  considerable  applause,  since  the 
institution  of  the  university  of  Gottingen  by  George  II.  I^ 
was  founded  in  1734,  and  solemnly  opened  1737.  The 
chief  city  is  Hanover,  situated  on  the  river  Leine,  amidst 
numerous  gardens  and  villas.  It  is  slightly  fortified,  and 
contains  about  1 5,500  inhabitants.  In  the  new  city,  on  the 
left  of  the  Leine,  is  a  library,  particularly  rich  in  books  of 
history  and  politics.  The  manufactures  and  commerce  of 
this  electorate  are  pretty  considerable,  in  metals  from  the 
Hartz,  linen,  cotton,  some  broad  cloths,  &c.  The  silver 
fabrics  of  Zell  are  celebrated  in  Germany.  The  chief  ex- 
ports are  metals,  coarse  linens,  timber,'  peat,  with  some 
cattle  and  grain. 

The  agricultural  products  are  wheat,  rye,  barley,  oats, 

peas,  haricots,  and  pot-herbs  of  all  kinds  ;  with  abundance 

ot  potatoes,  good  fruits,  flax,  hemp,  tobacco,  madder,  &c. 

Wood  abounds  both  for  fuel  and  architecture,  and  affords 

considerable  quantities  of  tar  and  pitch.  Bees  are  particu- 

larly  attended  to.    Horses,  cattle,  and  sheep  are  numerous. 

1  he  chief  river  is  the  Elbe  towards  the  north  ;  and  the 

VVeser  and  Leine  on  the  west;  with  the  Aller  and  Ilme- 

nau  m  the  centre.     The  mineralogy  is  rich,  consisting  of 

aiiver,  copper,  lead,  iron,  cobalt,  zinc  ;  with  marble,  slate, 

W\i    l^l^'  ^"^  limestone,  the  last  particularly  from  the 

«Ui  ot  Kalkberg  near  Luneburg.    Two  curious  mineral 


209 


GERMAN  STATES. 


substances,  boracite,  and  staurolite,  are  found)  the  former 
in  the  Kalkberg,  the  latter  at  Andreasberg.in  the  Hartz: 
which  region  likewise  presents  several  singular  features  of 
nature,  as  the  cavern  of  Blackenburg,  the  termination  of 
which  has  never  been  explored,  and  the  eave  of  Hamelen. 

The  bishopric  of  Osnabruck  in  Westphalia  may  be 
considered  as  an  appanage  of  Hanover,  adjoining  to  the 
county  of  Diepholtz.  Its  inhabitants  about  120,000  :  re- 
venue 26,250/. 

Having  thus  described,  at  some  length,  the  two  chief 
and  leading  principalities  on  the  north  of  the  Mayn,  a  few 
©thers,  the  next  in  power,  may  be  briefly  mentioned. 

In  this  secondary  view  of  the  north  of  Germany  the  first 
place  must  be  assigned  to  Hessia,  a  country  of  no  mean 
extent  nor  fame.  Some  distiicts,  as  usual,  being  assigned 
to  princes  of  the  family,  the  ruling  state  is  denominated 
Hesse  Cassel,  so  called  from  the  capital.  This  territory 
is  about  80  British  miles  in  length,  and  nearly  the  same  in 
breadth:  miles  square,  2760,  with  700,000  inhabitants, mi- 
litary force  12,000.  This  country  is  generally  mounjainous ; 
but  there  are  many  pleasant  vales,  sometimes  containing 
vineyards,  and  fields  fectile  in  corn  and  pasturage.  It 
abounds  in  game  and  fish,  and  there  are  many  fossils  and 
minerals  :  the  sands  of  the  Eder  contain  particles  of  gold ; 
and  there  was  formerly  a  mine  of  that  metal,  but  of  small 
account,  near  Frankenberg.  There  are  also  found  silver, 
copper,  lead,  coal,  fine  clays,  with  veins  of  marble  and  ala- 
baster, and  some  medicinal  waters.  There  are  states  of 
three  orders,  nobles,  clergy,  and  burgesses  from  Cassel, 
Marburg,  and  other  towns.  The  religion  is  the  reformed 
with  two  or  three  superintendants.  The  universities  are 
those  of  Marburg  and  Rinteln,  and  that  of  Gissen  belong- 
ing to  Hesse  Darmstadt,  ruled  by  another  branch  of  the 
family.  There  is  some  trade  from  the  natural  products, 
and  a  few  manufactures  of  linen,  cloth,  hats,  stockings,  &c. 
The  chief  city  is  Cassel,  which  contains  about  22,000  in- 
habitants, and  is  pleasing,  though  often  injured  by  war, 
Hanau  is  also  a  considerable  place  ;  and  the  country  so 
called  is  supposed  to  contain  100,000  souls. 

The  duchy  of  Mecklenburg  is  supposed  to  contain  4,800 
square  miles,  with  375,000  inhabitants,  or  by  Hoeck's  ac- 
count 300,000.  It  is  divided  into  two  parts,  known  by  the 
additions  of  Schwerin  and  Gustro,  full  of  lakes,  heaths  and 


GERMAN  STATES. 


3Q9 


marshes  ;  and  the  soil  being  sandy,  produces  little  but  rye 
and  oats.  The  states,  consisting  of  nobility  and  burgesses, 
are  assembled  yearly  to  regulate  the  taxation.  The  reli- 
gion is  the  Lutheran,  with  six  superintendants ;  and  an 
university  at  Rostock.  The  manufactures  are  wool  and 
tobacco :  the  exports,  partly  by  Lubec,  partly  by  Hamburg, 
are  grain,  flax,  hemp,  hops,  wax,  honey,  cattle,  butter, 
cheese,  fruits,  feathers,  dried  geese,  tallow,  linseed,  wool, 
and  timber. 

The  duke  of  Brunswick  possesses  a  territory  of  1472 
square  miles,  with  170,000  inhabitants;  the  chief  city  be. 
ing  Brunswick,  which  contains  about  22,000  ;  but  his  terri- 
tory is  called  the  principality  of  Wolfenbuttel,  from  a  town 
of  far  less  importance.  The  face  of  the  country  resembles 
the  electorate  of  Hanover.  Here  is  a  rich  convent  of  nuns 
at  Gandersheim  of  the  Lutheran  persuasion,  the  abbess  be- 
ing generally  a  princess  of  the  family.  There  are  several 
small  manufactures;  and  the  strong  beer  of  Brunswick, 
called  mum,  is  exported  from  Hamburg. 

Nor  must  the  city  of  Hamburg  be  omitted,  being  after 
^'ienna  and  Berlin,  the  third  city  in  Germany,  and  suppos- 
ed to  contain   100,000  inhabitants,  or  by  Hoeck's  account 
95,000 :  while  no  other,  except  Dresden  and  Frankfort  on 
the  Mayn,  contain  more  than  30,000.     The  Elbe  is  here, 
including  the  islands,  near  a  mile  broad.     The  houses  are 
rather  commodious  than  elegant  and  there  are  few  fine 
streets,  the  population  being  overcrowded  on  account  of  the 
fortifications  built  in  the  old  Dutch  taste,  with  spacious 
ramparts  planted  with  u-ees.     It  is  ruled  by  a  senate  of  37 
persons,  the  form  being  aristocratic.     The  religion  is  Lu- 
theran.     There  are  considerable  breweries  and  works  for 
refining  sugar,  with  some  manufactures  of  cloth.  Formerly 
the  trade  chiefly  consisted  of  linens,  woollens,  wine,  sugar, 
coff'ee,   spiceries,  metals,  tobacco,  timber,  leather,  corn, 
dried  fish,  furs,  &c.  but  at  present  it  is  the  great  mart  of 
the  commerce  of  the  British  isles  with  the  continent.  The 
hank  was  founded  in  1619  ;  and  the  numerous  libraries  do 
honour  to  the  taste  of  the  inhabitants.     Its  chief  depen- 
dencies are  the  river  of  Alster,  the  bailliage  of  Ham,  some 
isles  and  lowlands  on  the  Elbe  ;  and,  besides  some  districts 
acquired  from  Holstein,  the  bailliage  of  Ritzebuttel,  on  the 
ijorth  of  the  duchy  of  Bremen,  including  the  port  of  Cux- 
haven,  and  the  isle  called  Neuewerk,  situated  opposite  to 
that  port.  S2  *-*-      >■ 


210 


GERMAN  STATES. 


In  this  northern  half  of  Germany  there  are  six  or  seven 
other  smaller  principalities,  containing  together  about  half 
a  million  of  people  ;  besides  the  three  ecclesiastical  elector- 
ates of  Mentz,  Treves  and  Cologne,  which  contain  about 
300,000  inhabitants,  each,  and  six  or  seven  bishoprics  of 
from  70,000  to  200,000  each :  but  some  of  these  have  been 
partitioned  between  France  and  Prussia. 


THE  GERMAN  STATES  ON  THE  SOUTH  OF  THE  MAYN. 

Electorate  of  Bavana  conjoined  with  the  Palatinate. —'Ducnxj 
of  IVurtemburg. — Anspach  .--mi^alzia .— Smaller  St  a  tcs . — 
Jiccl€»iastic  Poiver. 


IN  the  southern  division,  Austria  excepted,  the  elector 
of  Bavaria  and  the  Palatinate  is  the  chief  of  all  the  secon- 
dary  powers,  his  dominions  being  computed  at  16,176 
miles  square,  ■'.'ith  1,934,000  inhabitants.  The  French 
having  seized  more  than  half  of  the  Palatinate  on  the  left 
bank  of  the  Rhine,  the  remaining  part,  on  the  right  bank 
of  the  river,  is  about  twenty-four  British  miles  in  length,  by 
the  same  at  its  utmost  breadth  ;  but  contaihs  the  best  part 
of  the  principality,  pervaded  by  the  ri\er  Neckar,  produc- 
ing excellent  wines,  and  enriched  by  the  cities  of  Manheini 
and  Heidelberg.  In  1693  the  Palatinate  was  rendered  al- 
most a  desert  by  the  Vandalic  ravages  of  the  French.  In 
the  last  war,  after  mangling  the  carcase,  they  claimed  it 
us  their  own. 

The  duchy  of  Bavaria  is  divided  into  Upper  and  Lower, 
and  what  is  called  the  Higher  Palatinate  (or  that  of  Bava- 
ria). The  length  from  N.  to  S.  is  somewhat  interrupted, 
but  may  be  about  130  British  miles,  and  the  breadth  about 
1 20.  Upper  Bavaria  is,  in  a  great  degree,  mountainous, 
and  covered  with  forests,  interspersed  with  large  and  small 
lakes.  Lower  Bavaria  is  more  plain  and  fertile.  The 
chief  mineral  riches  of  Bavaria  consist  in  the  salt  springs  at 
Traunstein,  which  occupy  many  people  in  productive  in* 
dustry.  The  religion  is  the  Roman  Catholic,  which,  as 
usual,  damps  the  spirit  of  industry  ;  and  the  manufactures 
are  of  small  account,  the  chief  exports  being  corn  and  catde 
The  revenue  is  computed  at  1,166,600/.  and  the  military 


IE  MAYN. 


GERMxYN  STATES.  211 

force  at  12,000.  The  chief  city  is  Munich,  esteemed  the 
most  elegant  in  Germany,  with  38,000  inhabitants:  in 
Lower  Bavaria  are  Landshut  and  Strauben. 

The  next  potentate  in  the  south  is  the  duke  of  Wur- 
temburg,  whose jjominions  are  computed  at  3,200  square 
miles,  with  600,000  inhabitants.  His  revenue  is  computed 
at  245,000/.  his  military  force  at  6,000.  This  duchy  forms 
the  most  considerable  and  fertile  part  of  the  circle  of  Swa- 
bia  ;  and  is,  indeed,  after  Saxony,  one  of  the  best  in  the  em- 

^'''?*x.       »*^  '''^^^^^"  '^  ^P*^^*'  ^"^^  some  barley  and  wheat, 
with  flax,  &c.  and  the  fertility  suffices  even  for  export?  The 
wines  of  the  Necker  are  not  so  abundant  as  to  supersede 
the  use  of  cyder.     The  chief  river  is  the  Necker,  which, 
with  the  Nagold,  and  its  other  tributary  streams,  enlivens 
and  fertilizes  the  duchy.     The  states  consist  of  fourteen 
superior  clergy,  and  the  deputies  of  sixty-eight  towns  and 
bailliagcs.     The  religion  is  the  Lutheran,  with  some  Cal- 
vinists,  and  some  colonies  of  the  Vaudois.     There  are  ma- 
nufactures of  pottery,  glass,  woollen,  linen,  and  silk  ;  which, 
with  the  natural  products  of  the  country,  supply  a  conside- 
rable export:  the  imports  are  by  Frankfort  on  the  Mayn. 
1  he  chief  city  IS  Stutgard,  agreeably  situated  on  a  rivulet 
which  flows  into  the  Necker,  and  the  ducal  residence  since 
the  year  1321, 

Among  ;he  secondary  powers,  in  this  southern  division 
01  Ge''mr.ny,^must  first  be  named  Anspach,  or  Onolsbach, 
whir..  "  reuth,  maintains  a  population  of  320,000  on 

-,300  s  lies.     These  regions  are  mountainous  and 

bandy  ;  I:  the  Mayn  yield  good  wines.     The  chief 

mines  are  ^      on,  the  otfters  being  neglected. 
.  The  country  of  Salz,  also  called  Salzia,  and  the  arch- 
bishopric of  Salzburg,  is  a  compact  and  interesting  re- 
gion,  about   100  English  miles  in  length,  and  60  at  its 
greatest  breadth  j  computed  at  2,880  square  miles,  and  a 
population  of  250,000  ;   by  Hoeck's  account,  only  200,000 
1  he  archbishop  is  primate  of  all  Germany,  the  see  beimr 
tounded  by  St.  Rupert,  an  Englishman,  in  7 1 6.     Salzburg 
«as  an  university,  with  about  20,000  inhabitants.    The  Ro- 
jnan  Catholic  system  has  banished  many  industrious  inha- 
bitants, who  have  chiefly  taken  refuse  in  the  Prussian  dnmS 
mons     The  salt  works  at  Hallenr  about  twelve  raUes  "s 
^i  oalzburg;,  are  very  lucrative. 


212 


GERMAN  STATES. 


This  grand  southern  division  of  Germany  also  contains 
the  territories  of  tl»e  Margrave  of  Baden,  832  square  miles, 
with  200,000  inhabitants  ;  the  lands  of  Hesse  Darmstadt, 
belonging  to  another  reigning  branch  of  the  house  of  Hes- 
sia,  the  imperial  city  of  Nuremberg  which  has  considera- 
bly declined,  but  still  contains  about  30,000  souls,  while 
Ulm  has  not  above  half  the  number.  To  enumerate  other 
•mall  secular  principalities  would  only«obstruct  the  inten- 
tion  of  this  description,  which  is  to  impress  on  the  memory 
the  more  important. 

But  as  the  intention  of  secularizing  the  numerous  eccle- 
siastical territories  in  Germany  seems  to  be  the  politics  of 
the  day,  it  may  be  proper  to  add  here,  the  names  at  least  of 
the  chief  sees  to  the  south  of  the  Mayn.  I .  The  archbishop. 
no  of  Salzburg,  which  has  been  already  described.  2.  The 
large  bishopric  of  WwrtzbUrg,  being  chiefly  on  the  north 
of  the  Mayn,  has  been  mentioned  before.  3.  Bamburg. 
4.  The  bishopric  of  Speyr,  or,  as  the  French  call  it,  Spire, 
one  half  of  which  is  now  subject  to  France.  5.  The  bi- 
shopric of  Aichstett,  in  the  southern  extremity  of  Franco- 
nia.  6.  The  large  and  opulent  bishopric  of  Augsburg.  7. 
Of  Constance,  whose  territories  also  extend  into  Swisser- 
land.  8.  A  great  part" of  the  bishopric  of  Strasburg.  9. 
The  large  abbatial  territories  of  Kempten,  Buchan,  and 
Lindau  ;  with  the  priory  of  Ellwangen  in  the  north.  10. 
The  bishopric  of  Passau.  1 1.  That  of  Freysingen,  with 
the  county  of  Werdenfels.  And  12.  The  bishopric  of  Ra- 
tisbon,  which  is  of  small  extent.  The  lion  and  other  beasts 
agreed  to  hunt  in  partnership  ;  it  wguld  be  wise  in  some 
of  the  small  partitioners  of  the  ecclesiastical  territory  to  re- 
collect the  result  of  the  fable. 


ITALIAN  STATES. 


GENERAL  DESCRIPTION  OF  ITALY. 

DiviaioriB, -^Boundaries j^^Extent. '■—Original  Pofiulationf—f 
Present  Population.'— -Face  of  the  Country.— KiverSf— . 
Lakesj—Mountainsj— 'Botany.— Zoology. 


THE  classical  and  interesting  country  of  Italy  has  been 
80  repeatedly  described,  that  it  has  become  familiar  even 
to  the  common  reader.  This  description  shall  therefoi-c 
be  restricted  to  very  narrow  limits ;  and  will  also  of  neces- 
sity be  somewbat  abridged  by  the  present  unsettled  state 
of  the  country.  We  shall  delineate  only  those  lasting  fea- 
tures of  nature  which  no  political  change  can  influence. 

Divisions.  Italy  may  be  regarded  as  having  been, 
in  all  ages  of  history,  divided  into  three  parts,  the  southern,^ 
the  central,  and  the  northern.  The  southern  part  having 
received  many  Greek  colonies  was  honoured  with  the  anci- 
ent appellation  of  Magna  Graecia :  the  centre  was  the  seat 
of  Roman  and  Etrurian  power  ;  while  the  northern  was  the 
Cisalpine  Gaul. 

Boundaries,  &c.  The  boundaries  of  this  renown- 
ed country  are  deeply  impressed  by  the  hand  of  nature,  in 
the  Adriatic  and  Mediterranean  seas,  and  the  grand  barrier 
of  the  Alps,  which  divide  it  from  France,  Swisserland,  and 
Germany.  The  length  of  Italy  from  mount  Rosa,  the 
highest  summit  of  the  Italian  Alps,  to  the  Cape  de  Leuca, 
is  about  670  British  miles  ;  while  the  medial  breadth  be- 

furuAn   ♦!■,—     A  Jl..:_<.:- 1    Tt/t-.Ui :_      .1 .     . . 

»"vvn  iiic  x^uiiaui/  uiiu  i.vicuii.cri'uii:;uii    iu    uuuui  IWU  ;    out 

from  the  Adige,  the  recent  limit  of  Austrian  power,  to  the 
eastern  frontiers  of  the  new  French  departments  of  Liman 


314 


ITALIAN  RTATr.S. 


wul  Mont  nianc  (rormrrly  Suvoy),  the  biTiulth  In  nhout  300 
milei.  The  oriijiiuil  pnpuUaioii  of  the  loulh  coiiHiNted  of 
Pelui^i  from  the  Pclopoiniciiuii ;  the  northern  part  of  lllyrl- 
Ann,  who  were  nuccecdcd  hy  (icrtnun  ( iiiuU  ;  and  the  Ktnii- 
cans  of  the  centre  arc  Raid  to  hwvchi'cn  of  I^'dian  extnut. 
The  Kuinuns  rfecm  to  derive  their  origin  fioni  the  early 
(Jrcek  e.olonicn  ;  and  their  Iunj',*H\fifc  was  regarded  as  an 
^oUc  dialect  of  the  (Ireek.  It  in  ahnoul  HUperfluoiit*  to 
udd,  that  the  rciij^ion  in  the  Honiati  Catholic.  The  preHcnt 
population  of  Italy,  with  the  inlandH  of  Sicily  and  Sardinia, 
cannot  he  estimated  at  more  than  l.T,()()(),()()().  The  kin^- 
dojn  of  NaplcN  and  Sicily  contai!)»  about  ('t,0()0,0()() ;  the 
central  part  about  :),()00,()()0 ;  and  the  northern  about  four. 
'I'he  manners,  cuMtomii,  and  dialectH  are  variotm  and  diH* 
cordant,  though  the  general  lun^iiage  be  the  Italian,  c%- 
teemed  the  ptircHt  in  Tuscany)  while  the  enunciation  is 
most  perfect  at  Home. 

Facr  or  Tni  Con  nth  y.  Italy  prcRcntu  a  va- 
riety of  scenery,  decorated  wilh  nol)le  architecttu'e,  uh 
villas,  venerable  remains  of  ancient  art,  amidnt  a  climate 
generally  serene,  though  liable  to  violent  ruins.  In  the 
north  the  Hublime  scenery  of  the  Alps  is  contrasted  wilh 
fertile  plains.  In  the  centre  there  are  many  nuirshcs 
and  standing  waters,  which  occasion  a  pernicious disiempe- 
raturc  of  the  air.  A  great  part  of  the  king*lom  of  Naples 
is  motmtainous  ;  but  the  country  jrenerally  beautiful  ;  yd 
ii»  addition  to  the  fiery  eruptions  of  Vesuvius  and  Etna,  it 
is  exposed  to  the  terrible  eiVcct  of  fretjucnt  eurlluiuukcs, 
and  the  enervating  sirocco. 

IhvRus.  Italy  is  interai'ded  with  rivers  in  almost 
every  direction,  of  wliich  the  Po  is  by  far  the  most  larnc 
and  extensive.  I'hisj  noble  river,  called  by  the  ancients 
Paduu  and  Eridanua,  rises  on  the  very  confines  of  I'runcc 
and  Italy.  Thus  descending  from  the  centre  of  the  west- 
ern ^Alps,  it  passes  to  the  N.  E.  of  Salurzo,  to  Turin; 
receiving  even  in  this  short  space  many  rivers,  as  tiic 
Varitta,  Maira,  and  Cirana  from  the  S.  and  from  the  N. 
the  Eelice,  Sa^^on,  and  others.  After  leaving  the  walls  of 
Turin,  the  Vo  receives  inmnncrablo  rivers  and  rivulets 
from  the  Alps  in  the  N.  and  the  Apennines  in  the  S. 
Among  the  former  may  be  named  the  Doria,  the  Tesino, 
the  Adda,  the  Oglio,  the  Mincio.  Erom  the  south  the  Vo 
first  receives  the  copious  Alpine  river  Tanarq,  itself  swc|- 


ITAI.IAM  STATI-B.  jj^ 

In!  I)y  the  miba,  lloimhla,  niul  other  slrcBmn.  Thcroiime 
ol  the  I'o  niuylje  unnpurativily  estimated  at  ahoiit  noo 
llnUHh  tnilcH.  I  he  niiiiicniiin  tiihutai y  livciH,  lioni  the 
Alps  ttiu  Apcniimcn,  bring  down  no  much  Hand  and  Kravd. 
that  the  hod  oi  the  Po  ha»  in  modern  time*  been  t  onHider! 
ably  ramed,  no  that  in  many  phiccn  banks  of  thirty  feet  in 
heiKhl  are  nuieHmuy  to  prcHtrvc  the  cmnnry  from  inun- 
(lalion.  jlcncc  hydraulicH  have  been  much  studied  in  the 
north  oMtttly  ;  and  the  numerous  cunuls  of  IrriRalion  dc- 
light  and  niHlruct  the  traveller.  * 

The  other  rivers  of  the  north  of  rtaiy,  ai  the  Adlta-    the 
Jrcnttt,  the  Piayi,  and  the  Tagliamenlo,  must  now  rather 
be  regarded  as  Austrian  streanis.       , 

In  the  centre  lirst  appears  the  Arno,  which  rises  in  the 
Apennines,  and  llrnvH  by  Morcnce  and  I'isa  into  the  Rulph 
ol  t.enoa.  1  he  I  iber,  an  immortal  stream,  is  by  far  the 
most  considerable  m  the  middle,  or  south  of  Italy,  rising 
near  the  source  of  the  Arno,S.  K.of  ht.  Marino,  and  pass? 
m  by  PeruKiu,  and  Rome,  to  the  Mediterranean,  which 
It  jonis  after  a  course  of  about  1 50  Ilritish  miles 

Lakks  Italy  contains  many  beautiful  'lakes,  par- 

ticuarly  m  the  northern  divJHion.  The  Lago  Mair^iore, 
.«  uboul  twemy.scven  Hritinh  miles  in  length,  by  three  of 
mcdud  breadth.  This  lake  formerly  adjoTned  to  the  Mi- 
lancse  territory,  and  contains  the  bcautif\.|  JJoromean  isles, 
;  cicbrated  by  many  travellers.  Still  farther  to  the  east  is 
lie  lake  of  Como,  which  is  about  thirty.twoJJritish  miles  in 
lenj;  h,  but  the  medial  breadth  not  above  two  and  a  half 
Yet  farther  to  the  east  is  the  noble  La^o  di  (iarda,  an  ex- 
pan«e  of  about  thirty  Uritish  miles  in  len^th  by  d;ht  fn 
•>rtadth  here  are  few  other  lakes  in  Italy,  but  they  are 
of  smaller  dimensions.  '  ^   ^ 

Mountains.         The  most  important  mountains  of 
ay  are  the  Alps    already  in  a  grelt  measure  descHbeS. 
ndcr  he  article  of  Swisscrlund.     The  maritime  Alps  rise 
o.nthe»eatothewe»tof()ne),lia,  and  are  succcTd  I  y 
0  lici  denominations,  extending  due  north  to  mont  IJlanc 
e  ancient  boundary  of  Savoy.       The  most  rema  kuble 
)ussa,>e  through  the  maritime  Alps  is  the  Col  de  Tentle 
and  mount  Cenis  is  a  noted  passa,  c  to  Turin      In  general 
ti;e  western  Alps  rise,  in  successive  elevation!  fr'omth'i 

"«e  Italian  Alps  bends  N.  L.  presenting  the  high  summits 


516  ITALIAN  STATES. 

of  the  ercat  St.  Bernard,  mount  Maudit,  and  mount  Rosa, 
the  last  nearly  approaching  Mont  Blanc  itself  m  height. 

From  mount  Rosa  this  grand  chain  continues  its  progress 
N.  E.  by  Simplon,  &c.  through  the  country  of  the  Gnsons 
to  the  glaciers  of  Tyrol,  terminating  m  the  balzian  Alps. 

The  next  grand  chain  of  Italian  mountams  is  that  ot  the 
Apennines,  Avhich  are  at  first  a  branch  of  the  Alps,  sepa- 
rating  the  plains  of  Piedmont  from  the  sea.  They  begin 
near  Ormea,  in  that  high  ridge  which  now  forms  the  boun. 
dary  of  the  French  department  of  the  maritime  Alps,  and 
stretch  without  any  interruption  along  both  sides  of  he 
Kulph  of  Genoa,  at  no  great  distance  from  the  sea.  In  the 
fouth  of  the  territory  of  Modena,  they  proceed  almost 
due  east  to  the  centre  of  Italy;  thence  S.  E  to  its  extremities, 
generally  approaching  nearer  to  the  Adriatic  than  to  the 

^S rus'briefly  considered  the  chief  ridges  of  Italian 
mountains,  those  sublime  features  of  the  country  the  voL 
S^^oes  must  not  be  omitted.  Vesuvius  is  a  conic  detach- 
ed  mouTain,  about  3,600  feet  high.  The  terrors  of  an 
eruption,  the  subterranean  thunders,  the  thickening  smoke, 
the  ruddy  flames,  the  stony  showers  ejected  to  a  prodigi- 
ous  heieht,  amidst  the  corruscations  of  native  lightning,  the 
?hroesofthe  mountain,  the  eruption  of  the  lava,  descend- 
\L  in  a  horrid  and  copious  stream  of  destruction,  have  e.- 
ercised  the  power  of  many  writers,  but  far  exceed  the  nt- 
most  enertiv  of  description. 

Yet  Vesuvius,  placed  by  the  side  of  Etna,  would  leetn 
a  small  ejected  hill,  the  whole  circuit  of  its  base  not  ex- 
ceedine  30  miles,  while  Etna  covers  a  space  of  180,  and  is 
height  above  the  sea  is  computed  at  about  11,000  feet, 
This  enormous  mass  is  surrounded  by  smaller  mountains, 
some  of  which  equal  Vesuvius  in  size  ;  and  while  the  la 
of  the  latter  may  devolve  its  stream  for  seven  i«iies,  Ltn 
AvlU  emit  a  liquid  fire  thirty  miles  m  length.     The  crater 
of  Vesuvius  never  exceeds  half  a  mile  m  circumference, 
while  that  of  Etna  is  commonly  three,  and  sometimes  six 
miles,  buch  is  the  height  of  Etna  that  the  aruptions  rarel 
attain  the  summit,  but  more  usually  break  out  ^t  Uie  «'f 
XT..„.>  th^  rrntpr  hetriris  the  rcgion  of  perpetual  snow  ana 
iceT which  is  followed  by  the  woody  region;  consistiuij^. 
'  oaks,  beeches,  firs,  and  pines,  while  the  upper  is  almost  de5 
titute  of  vegetation. 


Ve 

the  trees 
olive,  th( 
raond,  tl 
the  carol 
cypress, 
the  vine. 

In  the 
indicate 
mate;  an 
examinei 
ducts  to ' 
livening  1 

The  I 
oftheLo 
was  form 
Young  as 
111  made, 
Italy ;  an 
diflPerent 
manners 
wallowinj 
light,  is  S4 
of  the  sev 
Africa,  h( 
mot,  and 
the  Apen 
cuiiar  to  t 


a; 

Nap] 
kingdom  < 
tral  part  c 
marked  ai 

«3aUuiCtl    1 

Adriatic, 
of  medial 
Vol. 


ITALIAN  STATES. 


217 


ount  Rosa, 
1  height. 
ts  progress 
he  Grisons 
ian  Alps, 
that  of  the 
Mps,  sepa- 
Phey  begin 
;s  the  boun- 
s  Alps,  and 
ides  of  the 
sea.  In  the 
eed  almost 
extremities, 
than  to  the 

C9  of  Italian 
try  the  vol- 
)nic  detach- 
rrors  of  an 
ling  smoke, 
3  a  prodigi- 
jhtning,  the 
va,  descend- 
»n,  havee\'- 
ceed  the  nt- 

would  leein 
)ase  not  ex- 

1 80,  and  its 
11,000  feet, 
p  mountains, 
hile  the  lava 
miles,  Etna 

The  crater 
•cumference, 
)metimes  six 
ptions  rarely 
t  at  the  sides. 
jal  snow  and 
consisting;  (ii 
is  almost  lie*' 


VEftETABLK  AND   AnIMAL  PRODUCTIONS.      Among 

the  trees,  besides  the  common  ones  of  Britain,  we  find  the 
olive,  the  date  plum,  the  storax  tree,  the  bead  tree,  the  al- 
mond, the  pomegranate,  the  azarole  plum,  the  pyracantha, 
the  carob  tree',  the  ilex,  the  pistachia,  the  manna-tree,  the 
cypress,  the  date  palm,  the  l6mon,  the  orange,  the  fig,  and 
the  vine. 

In  the  southern  parts,  cotton,  rice  and  the  sugar  cane 
indicate  the  fertility  of  the  soil,  and  the  warmth  of  the  cU- 
mate;  and  the  fields,  and  pastures,  as  far  as  they  have  been 
examined,  bear  a  striking  resemblance  in  their  native  pro- 
ducts to  those  which  have  been  already  mentioned,  as  en- 
livening the  southern  provinces  of  Spain. 

The  Italian  horses  are  of  little  reputation.  The  cows 
of  the  Lodezan,  where  the  noted  cheese  is  now  made,  which 
was  formerly  produced  near  Parma,  are  described  by  Mr. 
Young  as  generally  of  a  blood-red  colour,  long,  lank,  and 
111  made.  The  buffalo  is  in  Europe  almost  pecoliar  to 
Italy ;  an  animal,  though  tame,  of  ferocious  aspect,  and  as 
different  from  the  bull,*  as  the  ass  is  from  the  horse.  In 
manners  he  somewhat  resembles  the  hog,  being  fond  of 
wallowing  in  mud,  his  flesh  is  coarse,  and  his  hide,  though 
light,  IS  so  firm  as  to  have  supplied  the  buff  coat,  br  armour 
of  the  seventeenth  century.  Originally  as  is  supposed  from 
Africa,  he  is  little  adapted  to-  any  cold  climae.  The  mar^ 
mot,  and  the  ibex  are  also  reckoned  among  the  animate  of 
the  Apennines ;  and  the  crested  porcupine  is  esteemed  pe- 
culiar to  the  south  of  Italy. 


THE  SOUTHERN  PART  OF  ITALY. 


Mifiles  and  Sicily^  ivith  the  adjacent  lale^ 

Naples  and  Sicily.  THTS  division  comprises  the 
kingdom  of  Naples  and  Sicily ;  being  divided  from  the  cen- 
tral part  chiefly  by  an  arbitrary  line  ;  nor  has  nature  indeed 
marked  any  precise  distinction,  except  some  rivers  were 
ysuuicd  as  boundaries,  towai-ds  the  Mediterranean  and 
Aariatic.  Sicily  is  about  170  British  miles  in  length,  by  70 
01  medial  breadth :  while  this  part  of  Italy  exceeds  300 

VOL.   I.  X 


II 


218 


ITALIAN  STATES. 


miles  in  length  by  100  in  breadth.    Square  miles  29,824, 
with  six  millions  of  inhabitants. 

Though  the  religion  be  the  Roman  Catholic,  the  Inqui- 
sition has  been  carefully  excluded.  Few  men  of  distin- 
guished  genius  have  recently  appeared  in  this  portion  of 
Italy,  which  is  overrun  with  priests  and  lawyers :  but  among 
the  latter  Giannone  has  distinguished  himself  by  his  spi- 
rited history  of  his  country.  There  are  no  less  than  20 
archbishoprics,  and  125  episcopal  sees  ;  but  no  university 
of  any  reputation.  The  ecclesiastics  are  computed  at 
2C0,000  ;  and  it  is  supposed  that  about  one-half  of  the  lands 
is  in  their  possession.  The  government  is  nearly  despotic. 
The  laws  are  contained  in  the  Codex  Carolinus  published 
in  1754.     The  political  importance  is  inconsiderable. 

The  chief  city  is  Naples,  esteemed,  after  Constantinople, 
the  most  beautiful  capital  in  the  world:  the  inhabitants  are 
computed  at  380,000.  Palermo  in  Sicily  is  supposed  to 
contain  130,000.  Messina  was  nearly  destroyed  by  an 
earthquake,  1783  ;  but  Bari  is  said  to  contain  30,000  souls, 
and  Catanea  26,000.  Besides  ex(fellent  wines,  oranges, 
olives,  rice  and  flax,  this  kingdom  abounds  in  cattle  ;  and 
some  parts  are  celebrated  for  the  produce  of  manna  and 
saffron.  The  manufactures,  particularly  those  of  silk  and 
woollen,  date  from  the  reign  of  Ferdinand  I.  of  Arragon ; 
and  these,  with  the  native  products,  constitute  the  chief  ar- 
ticles of  trade.  Iron  manufactures  have  been  recently  in- 
stituted near  Naples,  but  the  mines  and  the  agriculture  are 
alike  neglected;  and  Sicily,  anciently  so  fertile  in  grain,  is 
now  of  little  account.  The  revenue  is  computed  at  1,400,000/. 
sterling ;  and  the  army  at  40,000.  There  are  about  four 
ships  of  the  line,  and  four  frigates.  The  mountains  have 
been  already  mentioned  in  the  general  description  of  Italy, 
and  the  rivers  are  inconsiderable.  The  natural  curiosities 
of  these  regions  are  numerous  and  interesting,  independent 
of  the  grand  volcanic  appearances.  About  six  miles  from 
Girgenti,  and  very  remote  from  Etna,  there  is  a  singular 
volcano,  which  in  1777  darted  forth  a  high  column  of  pot- 
ter's earth  of  which  there  are  continual  ebullitions  from 
about  sixty  small  apertures.  Spallanzani  has  explained  the 
noted  wonders  of  Scylla  and  Charybdis ;  the  former  b^ing 
Q  lot't"'  rock  on  the  Calabrian  shores  with  some  caverns  at 
the  bottom,  which  by  the  agitation  of  the  waves  emit 
sounds  resembling  the  barking  of  dogs.    The  only  danger 


ITALIAN  STATES. 


219 


is  when  the  current  and  winds  are  in  opposition,  so  that 
vessels  are  impelled  towards  the  rock.  Charybdis  is  not 
a  whirlpool,  or  involving  vortex,  but  a  spot  where  the  waves 
are  greatly  agitated  by  pointed  rocks,  and  the  depth  does 
not  exceed  500  feet.  The  chief  islands  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  Italy  are  the  isles  of  Lipari,  the  smallUles  off  the 
gulph  of  the  ancient  Caprea,  the  isle  of  Ischia,  Italian  Pen- 
dataria,  the  small  isle  of  San  Stephano,and  the  three  Ponzian 
isles.  The  isles  of  Malta  and  Gozo  are  of  far  more  con- 
sequence.  They  are  rocky  and  barren,  not  producing 
grain  sufficient  for  half  the  consumption  of  a  thin  popula- 
tion ;  but  may  in  the  hands  of  the  English  prove  a  valuable 
acquisition.  Malta  is  about  50  British  miles  in  circumfer- 
ence,  and  is  supposed  to  contain  60,000  inhabitants.  The 
isle  of  Gozo  is  about  half  the  extent,  and  is  rather  fertile, 
the  population  being  computed  at  3000. 

These  two  islands  are  possessed  by  the  British,  and  are 
of  so  much  importance  to  the  nation,  that  the  minister  who 
surrenders^  them,  while  France  has  a  port  on  the  Mediter- 
ranean, will  deserve  to  loose  his  head. 

THE  CENTRAL  PART  OF  ITALY. 

Dominiom  of  the  Church. — Tuscany. >-^Lucca,'- St.  Marino. 
Fiombino^  and  the  Isle  of  Elba. 

THIS  portion  comprehends  the  dominions  of  the 
thurch,  and  the  grand  duchy,  now  kingdom  of  Tuscany  • 
With  a  few  diminutive  states,  as  the  republics  of  Lucca  and 
J5t.  Manno,  the  principality  of  Piombino,  and  the  small 
portion  of  territory  around  Orbitello  belonging  to  thekine- 
dom  of  Naples. 

The  territory  belonging  to  the  Pope  reaches  from  near 
J^esaro  to  beyond  Terracina.  By  the  treaty  of  Campo 
I'ormio  m  1797,  confirmed  by  that  of  Luneville  in  1801, 
the  provinces  of  Bologna,  Ferrara,  and  Romagna  were 
ceded  to  the  Cisalpine  republic,  a  state  lately  erected  by, 
and  dependent  on  France.  The  pontiff  is  elected  by 
tile  cardinals,  a  kind  of  chapter  consisting  nominally  of 
pi'iests  and  deacons,  but  in  effect  nf  nnnipnf  f^nn^^^\^.*\^„ 
-' >  -levated  to  this  dignity  by  their  services  to  the 
r  family  connections,  or  by  princely  recommen- 


church, 


dation. 


220 


ITALIAN  STATES. 


Rome  is  supposed  to  contain  162,800  inhabitants:  and 
Ancona  20,000.  The  revenue  arising  from  the  papal  ter- 
ritory -was  computed  at  about  350,000/.  sterling ;  but  by 
exactions  in  foreign  countries  was  raised  to  about  800,000/. 
Yet  there  was  a  large  debt,  bearing  eight  per  cent,  interest, 
k  sure  prdwof  the  want  of  industry  and  prosperity. 

The  grand  duchy,  now  kingdom  of  Tuscany,  has  long 
been  celebrated  for  the  arts ;  and  Florence  is  regarded  as 
the  Athens  of  modern  Italy.  This  principality  is  about 
1 20  British  miles  in  length  by  90  in  breadth  ;  but  on  7,040 
square  miles  contains  a  population  of  about  1,250,000. 
This  charming  country  has  been  granted  to  a  prince  of 
Spain,  who  wields  his  tributary  sceptre  of  Etruria  under 
the  protection  of  the  French  republic.  The  revenue  is 
computed  at  about  half  a  million  sterling,  but  the  forces  do 
not  exceed  6  or  8,000.  Tuscany  is  one  of  the  most  beau- 
tiful and  fertile  regions  of  Italy,  with  a  temperate  and 
healthy  climate.  It  abounds  in  corn  and  cattle,  and  pro- 
duces excellent  wines  and  fruit.  Florence  contains  about 
80,000  inhabitants,  and  Livorno  (corrupted  by  our  mariners 
to  Leghorn)  45,000.  The  manufactures  of  silk  and  velvet 
were  formerly  celebrated,  and  still  maintain  reputation. 

The  small  republic  of  Lucca  is  supposed  to  contain 
120,000  people,  on  288  square  miles ;  of  which  Lucca  holds 
about  40,000.  It  assumed  independence  in  1370,  and  in  the 
recent  revolutions  of  Italy  this  state  adopted  a  constitution 
similar  to  the  French.  The  Lucanese  are  the  most  Indus- 
trions  people  of  Italy,  and  no  spot  of  ground  is  neglected, 
the  hills  being  covered  with  vines,  olives,  chesnut,  and 
mulberry  trees,  while  the  meadows  near  the  coast  nourish 
numerous  cattle.  Oil  and  silk  are  the  chief  exports  of 
I^ucca.  The  diminutive  republic  of  St.  Marino  has  been 
celebrated  by  many  able  writers.  The  inhabitants  of  the 
village  and  mountain  are  computed  at  5000.  It  is  sur- 
rounded by  the  dominions  of  the  Pope,  and  claims  his  pro- 

tectimi. 

The  principality  of  Piombino,  consisting  of  a  small  por- 
tion of  the  Italian  shore,  and  the  opposite  isle  of  Elba,  has 
recently  been  yielded  to  the  French  republic.  Piombino 
is  a  small  neglected  town,  the  princes  having  generally  re- 

_:j_j  „..    T> T^^    :c1o   nf  V\htx    io  ahniit  ninp  TnileS  ID 

SiUCU  ill     £\U11IC.  A  iiv     tf.i^    v«     JK."»»     .--  1 

length,  and  three  in  breadth  ;  and  has  been  remarkable 
from  early  antiquity  for  its  metallic  productions,  particu- 


ITALIAN  STATES. 


221 


larly  beautiful  ores  of  iron,  often  crystallized,  and  mingled 
with  native  Prussian  blue. 

Ragusa,  another  small  commercial  republic,  though  si- 
tuated on  the  eastern  shore  of  the  Adriatic,  is  often  consi- 
dered as  an  Italian  state.  It  has  a  population  of  about 
56,000,  on  352  square  miles.  The  religion  is  the  Catholic, 
and  the  speech  the  Slavonic,  but  most  of  the  inhabitants 
speak  Italian.  It  is  an  archbishopric,  with  six  suffragans, 
and  its  commerce  is  considerable,  as  it  supplies  the  Turks 
with  several  kinds  of  merchandize  and  ammunition. 


THE  NORTHERN  PART  OF  ITALY. 


Pied?noni. — Milan.- 


-Mantua. — Parma  and  Placentia. — Mo- 
dena. — Gtnoa. 


THIS  largest  division  formerly  comprised  the  extensive 
territories  subject  to  Venice,  and  the  king  of  Sardinia,  with 
Milan  and  Mantua,  appanages  of  the  house  of  Austria,  the 
principalities  of  Parma  and  Modena,  and  the  long  moun- 
tainous strip  belonging  to  the  Genoese.  But  the  Venetian 
possessions  to  the  river  Adige,  have  now  become  subject  to 
Austria ;  France  has  seized  on  the  greatest  part  of  Piedmont 
and  Savoy,  with  the  county  of  Nice,  and  the  small  principa- 
lity of  Monaco.  Parma  and  Placentia  were  consigned  to  a 
Spanish  prince,  but  are  now  under  the  direction  of  French 
commissioners.  The  state  of  Genoa  with  some  of  the  Im- 
perial fiefs,  constitute  the  new  Ligurian  republic,  under  the 
influence  of  France ;  and  the  remainder  together  with  the 
provinces  ceded  by  the  Pope,  constitute  the  Cisalpine  re- 
public, also  at  the  disposal  of  France. 

The  most  extensive  province  of  this  division  is  Piedmont, 
about  150  English  milts  in  length  by  100  of  medial  breadth.. 
^yhUe  the  revenue  of  Sardinia  was  estimated  at  1,085,000/. 
Piedmont  contributed  953,750/.  Savoy  87,500/.  and  Sardi- 
nia only  43,750/.  This  delightful  province  enjoys  a  mild 
and  pure  air,  and  distinguished  fertility  of  soil,  the  plains 
producing  wheat,  maize,  rice,  with  some  olives  and  wine, 
and  the  pasturages  abound  with  cattle.     Around  Turin  and 

the  watering  of  meadows,  is  practised  with  great  assiduity 
and  success.    The  copper  mines  in  the  duchy  of  Aosta  are 

T2 


222 


ITALIAN  STATES. 


numerous  ;  and  in  some  places  this  metal  is  accompanied 
with  antimony,  arsenic,  and  zinc. 

The  chief  city  of  Piedmont  is  Turin,  supposed  to  contain 
more  than  80,000  inhabitants,  with  an  university  founded 
in  1405  by  Amadeo  duke  of  Savoy,  this  city  having  been 
subject  to  the  family  since  A.  D.  10^7.  VercelU  is  said  to 
contain  !20,000 ;  and  Alessandr'n  ;  '  CjoO.  The  king  of  Sar- 
dinia used  to  maintain  an  armj  ut  40,000.  The  ex- 
ports consist  of  silk  which  was  >efly  manufactured  at 
Lyons,  some  hemp,  and  large  flocks  of  cattle. 

The  island  of  Sardinia  used  to  be  considered  as  an  ap- 
pendage of  Piedmont.  It  has  been  shamefully  neglected 
by  the  govemment ;  but  being  now  the  sole  remnant  of  the 
possessions  formerly  annexed  to  the  Sardinian  crown,  will 
no  doubt  be  benefited  by  the  presence  of  its  sovereign. 

The  Cisalpine  republic  is  little  else  than  a  province  of 
France.  It  comprises  the  provinces  of  Romagna,  Bologna, 
and  Ferrara  as  far  as  the  Po,  the  duchy  of  Modena  and  Mas- 
sa  Carrara,  the  Imperial  fiefs  of  Villa-ffanca,  Ulla,  and 
Fosdi  Nuovo;  the  duchies  of  Milan  and  Mantua,  the  Lu- 
melline,  Upper  and  Lower  Navarcse,  and  Val  de  Sesia; 
the  Valteline  and  all  the  former  Venetian  territory  W.  of 
the  Adige,  including  the  Bergamese,  Brescian,  and  part 
of  the  Veronese.  We  will  give  a  sketch  of  the  princi- 
pal divisions. 

Of  these  the  most  important  is  the  fertile  duchy  of  Mi- 
lan, said  to  contain,  on  2,432  square  miles,  a  population  of 
1,1 1 6,850.  Of  the  chief  city  of  Milan  the  inhabitants  are 
computed  at  about  120,000.  The  revenues  of  this  duchy 
are  computed  at  about  300,000/.  At  Paviais  an  university 
of  great  repute,  the  professors  having  much  distinguished 
themselves  in  natural  history.  It  is  regarded  as  the  first 
in  Italy.  There  are  manufactures  of  wool  and  silk,  but  the 
latter  is  inferior  to  that  of  Piedmont :  there  are  also  nu- 
merous workmen  in  gold,  silver,  embroidery,  steel,  and  in 
crystal,  agate,  aventurine,  and  other  stones,  so  that  the 
country  swarms  with  artizans.  The  irrigation  of  the  Mi- 
lanese Mr.  Young  represents  as  a  stupendous  effort  of  in- 
dustry, and  the  canals  for  this  purpose  are  mentioned  as 
early  as  the  eleventh  century ;  some  of  them  being  more 
than  30  miles  long,  and  near  50  feet  wide.  The  price  of  land 
is  npar  100/.  the  acre,  and  yields  about  three  per  cent,  in- 


ITALIAN  STATES.  223 

terest.    The  cattle,  dairies,  and  cheese  are  excellent ;  but 
the  sheep  few  and  bad. 

The  small  duchy  of  Mantua  had  been  subject  to  Austria 
since  the  year  1707,  and  was  ruled  by  the  governor-general 
of  the  Milanese.  The  capital  stands  on  a  lake  formed  by 
the  Mmcio,  and  was  formerly  supposed  to  contain  50,000 
inhabitants,  now  reduced  to  about  12,000  ;  the  position  and 
tortihcations  render  it  a  place  of  great  strength. 

The  duchy  of  Modena  is  a  remnant  of  the  power  of  the 
celebrated  family  of  Este,  who  also  possessed  the  adjacent 
country  of  Ferrara.  It  contains  about  320,000  souls,  and 
the  city  of  Modena  30,000;  the  revenue  was  140,000/ 
The  soil  resembles  that  of  the  duchy  of  Parma.  The  breed 
of  sheep  is  neglected.  It  is  remarkable  that  in  diejrinc 
wells  near  Modena,  at  a  certain  depth,  a  particular  stratum 
IS  tound,  which  being  passed,  the  water  gushes  up  as  from 
a  subterranean  lake  or  river. 

The  territories  of  Parma  and  Placentia  have  been  con- 
joined  for  many  ages ;  and  have  lately  been  occupied  by  the 
k  rench.  The  population  is  computed  at  300,000 ;  revenue 
175,000/.  Parma  is  a  considerable  city  with  some  manu- 
tactures,  and  an  academy  of  painting.  Both  Parma  and 
Placentia  have  universities.  The  soil  is  a  rich  sandy  or 
gravelly  loam,  with  fine  pastures;  and  the  Parmesan  cheese 
now  made  at  Lodi  in  the  Milanese,  has  been  celebrated  for 
many  centuries. 

The  Imperial  fiefs,  and  smaller  states  in  this  part  of 
Italy,  would  little  merit  descriptior   especially  in  the  pre- 
^nt  uncertainty   with   regard   to    iheir  final  destination 
Ihis  account  shall  therefore  close  with  the  republic  of 
benoa,  consisting  of  a  long  mountainous  tract,  formeriv 
noted  lor  the  acuteness  and  treachery  of  the  Ligurians  its 
inhabitants.     The  papal  power  is  here  little  venerated,  the 
people  being  immersed  in  business,  and  receiving  monied 
heretics  with  open  arms.     The  population  of  the  territory 
IS  computed  at  400,000 ;  of  the  city  at  80,000.     The  troops 
including  the  country  militia,  may  amount  to  30,000 ;  but 
the  once  powerful  fleets  have  sunk  to  a  few  gallies     The 
air  IS  pure  and  salubrious,  and  there  are  excellent  fruits  and 
vegetables;  but  the  grain  is  not  sufficient  for  the  consump- 
"on.     1  he  manufactures  are  chiefly  of  silk  and  velvet 


ASIA. 


Extent.  THIS  great  division  of  the  earth  ex- 
tends ifi  length  from  the  Hellespont  to  what  is  called  the 
East  Cape;  that  is  from  about  the  26<'  of  longitude,  east 
from  London,  into  the  other  hemisphere  to  near  190  de- 
grees of  east  longitude,  or  170°  west  from  London  ;  be- 
ing no  less  than  164°,  or  (taking  the  degree  at  a  medial  la- 
titude) more  than  6500  geographical  miles.  From  the 
southern  cape  of  Malacca  to  the  cape  of  Cevero  Vostochnoi, 
which  braves  the  ice  of  the  Arctic  ocean,  the  breadth  ex- 
tends from  about  2°  of  northern  latitude  to  about  77",  or 
nearly  4500  geographical  miles.  If,  for  the  sake  of  a  rude 
and  merely  comparative  calculation,  one-sixth  part  be  added 
for  the  difference  between  the  statute  and  geographical 
mile,  the  length  of  Asia  in  British  miles  would  be  about 
7583,  and  the  breadth  5250. 

It  is  now  well  known  that  Asia  is  limited,  on  the  east,  by 
a  strait  which  divides  it  fram  America,  of  about  40  miles, 
and  which,  in  honour  of  the  discoverer,  is  called  Beering's 
Strait.  The  northern  and  southern  boundaries  are  the 
Arctic  and  Indian  oceans,  in  which  last  many  large  islands, 
particularly  that  of  New  Holland,  now  more  classically 
styled  by  some  Justralasia^  affords  a  vast  additional  extent 
to  this  quarter  of  the  globe.  The  western  limits  of  Asia 
are  marked  by  the  eastern  limits  of  Europe. 

Original  Population.  .  The  population  of 
Asia  is  by  all  authors  allowed  to  be  wholly  primitive  and 
original;  if  we  except  that  of  the  Techuks  or  Tchuktchi, 
who,  by  the  Russian  travellers  and  Mr.  Tooke,  are  supposed 
to  have  passed  from  the  opposite  coast  of  America.   With 


TT     r"      /, .   ,;        T^inianuers.     rcnniimaoi«».m,iii«,wr- 
11.    tins  (chief  godj  Esthonians:   Livoniansf 

iummala.j      ~\  Laplanders.   Votiacs  &  Chermisses. 
LHungarians.  Voguls  8c  Ostiacs. 


Asia  IS  By  airaniiiorsi  aiioweu  w  m  wnony  priinitive  ana 
original;  if  we  except  that  of  the  Techuks  or  Tchuktchi, 
who,  by  the  Russian  travellers  and  Mr.  Tooke,  are  sunuosed 
to  have  passed  from  the  opposite  coast  of  America. '  With 


ASIA. 


335 


ori- 


a  few  trifling  exceptions  Asia  presents  a  prodieious 
wWch^^n  bT'  "r  ">'  '^  f '^'^'^  f^«-  '"^^  LloTing  able. 


LINNJEAN  TABLE  OF  THE  NATIONS  AND  LANGUAGES 

IN  ASIA. 


II 

III. 
IV. 
V. 


Crdo, 


Genua, 


fAssyrians. 
Assyrians. -J  Arabians. 

LEgyptians. 


Speciet, 

Chaldee. 
Hebrew,  &c. 


Persians. 
Scythians.^  Scythians, 


Sarmats.     JS^^l^*- 

I  Parthians. 

I  Indi.  Hindoos. 

Sina.  J  Chinese. 

i Japanese. 


Armenians.      The 
Persi  and  Zend  are 
cognate  with   the 
intra  et  extra      Gothic,  Greek,  & 
Ittiaum,  &c.       Latin,    according 
to  Sir  W.  Jones. 
Georgians. 
Circassians. 
Northern  &  South* 

ern,  &c. 
TTiese  have  a  Tata- 
ric  form  or  face. 


r^sT^f  f^""^^^  A^^""^  ""•    P<>P"lation  which  Europe  has  re- 


iitive  ana 

'chuktchi, 

supposed 

:a. '  With 


PRIMAEVAL  INHABITANTS. 
Ordo.  Genua. 


Celts. 


r  Irish. 
<  Welch. 
(.Armorican. 


Sfiecies. 

Erse,  Manks. 
Cornish. 


IT    p-     /  t^.  n        fEinlanders.    Permians or Biarmians 
"■    Fjns  (chief  god  I  Esthonians:   Livonianse    '''"'"''"'• 

" "'"■>'        J  i-upianaers.    Votiacs  &  Chermisses. 

LHungarians.  Voguls  &  Ostiacs. 


II 


226 


ASIA. 


COLONIES  FROM  ASIA. 


Ordo.  Genus.  Species. 

f  Icelanders,  Norwegians. 

III.  Scythians  or  Goths  J  Swedes,  Danes. 

(Odin.)  j  Germans.  Swiss,  Frisic. 

LEngHsh.  Flemish,  Dutch. 

IV.  Sarir ats  or  Slavons  f  |^°^^^/  JJ^*'"!^- 

(Perun.)  1  Russians.  Vendi. 

(.Kossacs.  Lettes. 

The  inhabitants  of  France,  Italy,  and  Spain  ai  2  also  of 
Asiatic  origin ;  and  speak  corrupted  Roman,  which,  like 
the  Greek,  is  a  polished  dialect  of  the  Gothic,  according  to 
Sir  William  Jones  and  other  able  antiquaries.     The  He- 
ruli,  Wends,  and  Lettes,  used  mixed  and  imperfect  dia- 
lects of  the  Slavonic.    Critical  Review,  vol.  xxvii.  p.  129. 
Seas.        Though  Asia  cannot  vie  with  Europe  in 
the  advantages  of  inland  seas,  yet,  in  addition  to  a  share  of 
the  Mediterranean,  it  possesses  the  Red  Sea,  the  Arabian 
Sea,  and  gulphof  Persia ;  the  bays  of  Bengal  and  Nankin; 
and  other  gulphs,  which  diversify  the  coasts  much  more 
than  those  of  Africa  or  America,  and  have  doubtless  con- 
tributed greatly  to  the  early  civilization  of  this  celebrated 
division  of  the  earth. 

The  Red  Sea,  or  the  Arabian  gulph  of  antiquity,  consti- 
tutes the  grand  natural  division  between  Asia  and  Africa; 
but  its  advantages  have  chiefly  been  felt  by  the  latter,  which 
is  entirely  destitute  of  other  inland  seas ;  Egypt  and  Abys- 
sinia, two  of  the  most  civilized  countries  in  that  division, 
having  derived  great  benefits  from  this  celebrated  gulph, 
which  from  the  straits  of  Babelmandel  to  Suez  extends 
about  2 1°,  or  1470  British  miles  ;  terminating  not  in  two 
equal  branches,  as  delineated  in  old  maps,  but  in  an  exten- 
sive western  branch,  while  the  eastern  ascends  little  beyond 
the  parallel  of  Mount  Sinai. 

The  Persian  gulph  is  another  noted  inland  sea,  about 
half  the  length  of  the  former,  being  the  grand  receptacle 
of  those  celebrated  rivers  the  Euphrates  and  the  Tigris. 

The  other  gulphs  do  not  afford  such  strong  features  of 
what  are  properly  termed  inland  seas ;  if  the  Euxine  be  ex- 
cepted, which  has  already  been  briefly  described  in  the 
general  survey  of  Europe.    But  the  vast  extent  of  Asia 


ASIA.  33, 

uesides  herrings,  salmon,  and  other  fish  wWi,  «        • 

Derbent  s  rocky     aSd  ?h.?nfV'  r^'  "e'-^"''"  ••   «•>»*  "f 

lakf o7kra?  TS°-  "'^  "^' "'  '"e'cal^S?!;  the  sea  or 
miles  nb™;d*Vhisse"A'-°  ™"'=»  » '^"gth.  and  70 

dese«s  has  C-UufetKffS^^^llt 

fehrfit;ii?h''d"^''''' ^r '^'""'^^^^^^^ 

thUouanirofthe^Zh"'"^?'?  !?/""'  """■Mains,  &c.  of 


I 


TURKEY  IN  ASIA. 


Extent.!  y  THIS  region  extends  from  the  shores 
of  the  Egean  sea,  or  Archipelago,  to  the  confines  of  Persia; 
a  space  of  about  1050  British  miles.  The  boundaries  to- 
wards Persia  are  rather  ideal  than  natural,  though  some- 
what marked  by  the  mountains  of  Ararat  and  Elwend.  In 
the  north  the  Turkish  territories  are  now  divided  from  the 
Russian  by  the  river  Cuban,  and  the  chain  of  Caucasus ; 
in  the  south  they  extend  to  the  junction  of  the  Tigris  and 
the  Euphrates,  which  last  river,  for  a  considerable  space, 
divides  the  Turkish  possessions  from  those  of  the  Arabs. 
From  the  river  Cuban  to  the  junction  of  the  Tigris  and 
Euphrates,  may  be  about  1 100  British  miles. 

Divisions.  This  extensive  territory,  which  in  it- 
self would  constitute  an  empire,  could  it  resume  its  pris- 
tine population,  is  divided  into  nine  or  ten  provinces,  viz. 
Natolia,  Caraminia,  Eyraco  Arabic,  or  Chaldea,  Diarbec, 
or  Mesopotamia,  Turcomania  or  Armenia,  Curdistan  or 
Assyria.  Georgia,  including  Mingrelia,  Imaretta,  and  part 
of  Circassia,  Amasia,  Aladulia,  Syria  with  Palestine. 

These  provinces  are  subdivided  into  governments  arbi- 
trarily administered  by  pashas. 

Original  Population.  The  original  population 
of  these  regions  consisted  chiefly  of  Scythic  nations,  ming- 
led with  a  few  Assyrians,  from  the  south.  At  present  tiie 
ruling  language  is  the  Turkish,  next  to  which  may  be 
placed  the  modern  Greek ;  but  the  Arabic,  Syrian,  Persian) 
and  Armenian^  with  various  dialects  used  by  the  tribes  on 
the  Black  sea^  indicate  the  diversity  of  population. 


TURKEY  IN  ASIA.  '  229 

Historical  Epochs.  The  dhief  epochs  of  Turk- 
ish history  have  already  been  mentioned,  in  describhT^ 
the;ir  European  possessions.  "cscnoing 

.n  i^'^'^^'^'TiE*-  The  antiquities  of  Asiatic  Turkey 
ZV^V^r^'T^'  ofthe  arts,  are  numerous  and  im-* 
portant,  but  have  been  so  repeatedly  described  as  to  ha^e 
become  trivial  themes,  even  t6  the  genera  reader  Thf 
most  spkndid  ruins  are  those  of  Pafmyra/or  Tad^^^^^ 
the  desert,  about  150  miles  to  the  S.  E  of  Alepno^at  the 
noithem  extremity  ofthe  sandy  wastes  of  ArabL^  '      '^' 

Bawbee,  the  ancient  Heliopohs,  is  about  50  miles  to  the 
ni.J'  °^^^"»^«^»«'  the  most  remarkable  ruin  bein^  that 
of  a  temple,  supposed  to  have  been  dedicated  o  thTsun 

Recent  investigation  has  disclosed  another  remarkahl. 
scene  of  antiquity,  in  the  site  and  celebrS  pi  JHf  Tro^^ 
The  tombs  of  remote  antiquity  having  been  cons  rucSd 

^^=.^1^^:^  custtfr„-t%^  7f 

ranging  over  extens  ve  ^alt  S^itv"?'  ^^•^"^''^^^' 
renders  travelling  verv  «n,lf  i  1  "^  ^^  government 
Pedim^nf  .•;"'"-^  ^^^y  unsafe,  and  has  proved  a  great  im 

rHo^s      rin^  '^  '^.'^'  geographical  knowledgelf  theTe' 

and  the  ammS  T"  '"'  '""V^'''''  ^^avernment  I'ndu     ^ 

Cities  TkhT  •''''"  '"''  '^^^  "^^^'^^^^  territory.  ^ 

en^pi^e'r  b^en  ^^el^^  descrTJrd  "^^^^  ''"^  ^^^^^^ 
"nportance  is  the  citv  of  hXk         ^  '^^  "'  "^'^"'^^  ^"^ 

contain  about  2  o^Tinhlbkants'  °TH,'^r-'"PP°^^^^  '^ 
ed  with  some  t'ecance  and  h.  n  ^^"'^'^y  is  construct- 
^A  ...-.,    ..        ^cj^ance,  and  the  tall  cvnrpsa  ft>««» .. 

a  picturesque  appea^re'^n"^-rr^  "^"^^"^«'  ^^'  '^' 

seem  to  have  been  on  th-         ^^  buildings  and  population 

nave  been  on  the  increase,  but  the  adjacentVillages 


I 
I 


S30 


TURKEY  IN  ASIA. 


are  deserted.  The  chief  languages  are  the  Syrian  and 
Arabic.  The  manu&ctures  of  silk  and  cotton  are  in  a 
flourishing  condition,  and  large  caravans  frequently  arrive 
from  Bagdad  and  Bassora,  charged  Avith  the  products  of 
Persia  and  India ;  Consuls  from  various  European  po>vers 
reside  here,  to  attend  the  interests  of  the  respective  nations. 

Damascus  is  supposed  to  contain  about  1 80,000  souls. 
It  was  formerly  celebrated  for  the  manufacture  of  sabres 
"which  seem  to  have  been  constructed  by  a  method  now 
lost,  of  alternate  thin  layers  of  iron  and  steel,  so  as  to  bend 
even  to  the  hilt  without  breaking,  while  the  edge  would 
divic!?  the  firmest  mail.  The  manufactures  now  "onsist  of 
silk  and  cotton,  and  exciellent  soap.  From  the  Mediterra- 
nean are  imported  metals  and  broad  cloths ;  and  the  oara- 
vans  of  Bagdad  bring  Persian  and  Indian  articles.  This  city 
also  increases,  the  Pashalik  of  Damascus  is  esteemed  the 
first  in  Asia. 

Smyrna  may  be  regarded  as  the  third  city  in  Asiatic 
Turkey,  containing  about  120,000  souls.  This  flourishing 
seat  of  European  commerce  is  the  chief  mart  of  the  Levant 
trade,  but  the  fi'equent  visits  of  the  pestilence  greatly  im- 
pede its  prosperity. 

Prusa  is  a  beautiful  city,  in  a  romantic  situation  at  the 
northern  bottom  of  mount  Olympus.  By  Tournefort's 
computation  of  families,  the  inhabitants  may  be  about 
60,000. 

Angora  may  contain  80,000  inhabitants.  The  trade  is 
chiefly  in  yarn,  of  which  our  shalloons  are  made ;  and  in 
their  own  manufacture  of  Angora  stufls,  made  chiefly  of 
the  fine  hair  of  a  particular  bre6d  of  goats. 

Tokat  is  also  a  flourishing  place.  The  inhabitants  are 
computed  at  60,000.  The  situation  is  singular,  amidst 
rugged  and  perpendicular  rocks  of  marble,  and  the  streets 
are  paved,  which  is  a  rare  circumstance  in  thfe  Levant. 
Silk  and  leather  are  manufactures  of  Tokat;  but  the  chief 
is  that  of  copper  utensils,  which  are  sent  to  Constantinople) 
and  even  to  Egypt. 

Basra,  or  Bassora,  on  the  estuary  of  the  Euphrates  and 
Tigris,  contains  50,000  inhabitants,  and  is  of  great  com- 
mercial consequence,  being  frequented  by  numerous  ves- 
g«io  from  Eurone  and  Asia?  and  the  seat  of  an  English 
consul. 


TURKEY  IN  ASIA. 


2j5l 


Ihe  great  and  romantic  Bagdad,  the  seat  of  the  Califs, 
and  the  %cene  of  many  eastern  fictions,  has  now  dwindled 
into  a  town  of  a'  out  20,000  inhabitants.  Not  far  to  the 
south  are  some  ruins  of  the  celebrated  Babylon,  which  have 
been  ably  illustrated  in  a  recent  work  of  Major  Rennell. 

Many  an  important  city  of  antiquity  has  sunk  into  a 
village,  and  even  the  village  often  into  amass  of  rubbish, 
under  the  destructive  domination  of  the  Turks.  The  an- 
cient and  celebrated  city  of  Jerusalem  is  reduced  to  a 
mean  town,  chiefly  existing  by  the  piety  of  pilgrims. 

Manufactures.  The  chief  manufactures  of  A  si- 
auc  Turkey  have  been  already  incidentally  mentioned. 
Ihese  with  rhubarb,  and  several  other  drugs,  may  be  re^ 
garded  as  the  chief  articles  of  commerce. 

Climate  and  Seasons.  The  climate  of  Asia 
Minor  has  always  been  considered  as  excellent.  There 
IS  a  peculiar  softness  and  serenity  in  the  air,  not  perceiv- 
Able  on  the  European  side  of  the  Archipelaj^o.  The  heat 
orthe  summer  is  considerably  tempered  by  the  numerous 
chains  of  high  mountains,  some  of  which  are  said  to  be 
covered  with  perpetual  snow. 

Vegetable  and  Animal  Productions.  The 
general  appearance  of  Asiatic  Turkey  may  be  regarded 
as  mountamous ;  but  intermingled  with  large  and  beau- 
titui  plains,  which,  instead  of  being  covered  with  rich 
crops  of  gram,  are  pastured  by  the  numerous  flocks  and 
herds  of  t|ie  1  urcomans.  The  soil,  as  may  be  expected, 
isuxtremely  various;  but  that  of  Asia  Minor  is  chiefly 
a  ^eep  clay ;  and  wheat,  barley,  and  durra,  form  the 
chiet  products  of  agriculture.  But  excellent  grapes  and 
ohves  abound ;  and  the  southern  provinces  are  fertile  in 
concUti         ^y^a  the  agriculture  is  in  the  most  deplorable 

Rivers.  The  principal  river  of  Asiatic  Turkey  is, 
)eyond  all  comparison,  the  Euphrates,  which  rises  from 
tile  mountains  of  Armenia,  a  few  miles  to  the  N.  E  of 
trzeron ;  and  chiefly  pursues  a  S.  W.  direction  to  Semisat, 
where  it  would  fall  into  the  Mediterranean,  if  not  pre' 
vented  by  a  high  ridge  of  mountains.  In  this  part  of  its 
course  the  Euphrates  is  joined  by  the  Morad  from  the  east, 
« stream  almoHf  HnnhlinrY.  ;«  io.>».fU  *.u.       "^     •  ' 

inat  the  latter  river  might  more  just 
irom  mount  Ararat,  about  !60  British 


iiittu  vi  x:.upnrates  ;  so 


spring 


the  east  of 


232 


TURKEY  IN  ASIA. 


l>i 


the  imputed  source.  At  Semisat,  the  ancient  Samosai^, 
this  noble  river  assumes  a  southerly  direction;  then  runs 
an  extensive  course  to  the  S.  E.  and  after  receiving  the 
Tigris,  falls  by  two  or  three  mouths  into  the  gulph  of  Per- 
sia. The  comparative  course  of  the  Euphrates  may  be 
estimated  at  about  1400  British  miles. 

Next  in  importance  is  the  Tigris,  which  rises  to  the 
north  of  the  Medan,  about  1 50  miles  south  from  the  sources 
of  the  Euphrates,  and  pursues  nearly  a  regular  direction 
S.  E.  till  it  join  the  Euphrates  below  Korna,  about  60  miles 
to  the  north  of  Bassora ;  after  a  comparative  course  of 
about  800  miles.  The  Euphrates  and  the  Tigris  are  both 
navigable  for  a  considerable  distance  from  the  sea. 

The  third  river  in  Asiatic  Turkey  is  that  called  by  the 
Turks  Kizil  Irmak,  the  celebrated  Halys  of  antiquity,  ri- 
sing in  mount  Taurus  not  far  from  Erekli,  but  by  other  ac- 
counts more  to  the  east,  and  pursuing  a  winding  course  to 
the  north,  nearly  across  the  whole  of  Asia  Minor,  till  it  join 
the  Euxine  sea  on  the  west  of  the  gulph  of  Sansoun.  The 
river  Sacaria,the  ancient  Sangarius,or  Sangaris,  rises  about 
50  miles  to  the  south  of  Angoi'a,  and  running  to  the  N. 
W.  joins  the  Euxine,  about  70  miles  to  the  east  of  Con- 
stantinople. 

In  the  next  rank  may  be  placed  the  classical  river  of 
Maeander,  rising  to  the  north  of  the  ancient  city  of  Apamia, 
and  running,  in  a  winding  stream,  about  250  British  miles. 
It  is  called  by  the  Turks  Boyue  Minder,  or  the  great 
Mseander,  to  distinguish  it  from  a  small  tributary  stream, 
Avhich  resembles  it  in  mazes.  The  Minder,  not  far  from 
its  mouth,  is  about  100  feet  broad ;  with  a  swift,  muddy, 
and  extremely  deep  current,  having  received  a  considera- 
ble accession  of  waters  from  the  lake  of  My  us. 

The  Sarabat,  or  ancient  Hermus,  renowned  for  its  gold- 
en sands,  joins  the  Archipelago  about  90  British  miles  to 
the  north  of  the  Minder,  after  a  course  of  similar  length. 

The  other  rivers  of  Asia  Minor  are  far  more  inconsider- 
able, though  many  of  them  be  celebrated  in  classical  his- 
tory and  poetry. 

The  chief  river  of  Syria  is  the  Orontes,now  called  Oron 
or  Osi,  rising  about  80  miles  to  the  N.  of  Damascus,  and 
running  nearly  due  north  till  it  suddenly  turns  S=  E,  near 
Antioch,  after  which  it  soon  joins  the  Mediterranean. 


TURKEY  IN  ASIA. 


333 


Lakes.  Asiatic  Turkey  also  contains  numerous 
lakes.  That  of  Van  in  the  north  of  Kurdistan,  is  the  most 
remarkable,  being  about  80  British  miles  in  length  from 
N.  E.  to  S.  W.  and  about  40  in  breadth :  it  is  said  to  abound 
with  fish. 

In  Syria,  what  is  called  the  Dead  Sea,  may  be  regarded 
as  a  lake  of  about  50  miles  in  length,  and  12  or  13  in 
breadth.  The  lake  of  Rackama,  to  the  south  of  Hilla  and 
the  ancient  Babylon,  is  about  30  miles  in  length,  and  flows 
into  the  Euphrates. 

Towards  the  centre  of  Asia  Minor  there  is  a  remarkable 
sahne  lake,  about  70  miles  in  length,  and  a  mile  or  two  in 
breadth,  being  the  Tatta  or  Palus  Salsa  of  D'Anville*s  an- 
cient geography. 

Numerous  other  small  lakes  appear  in  Natolia,  among 
which  may  be  particularly  mentioned  that  of  Ulubad,  an- 
ciently styled  the  lake  of  Apollonia,  which  according  to 
Tournefort  is  about  25  miles  in  circumference,  and  in 
some  places  seven  or  eight  miles  wide,  sprinkled  with  se- 
veral isles  and  some  peninsulas,  being  a  grand  receptacle 
ot  the  waters  from  mount  Olympus.  The  largest  isle  is 
about  three  miles  in  circuit,  and  is  called  Aboulllona,  pro- 
bably from  the  ancient  name  of  the  city  which  stood  on  it 
About  50  miles  to  the  N.  E.  was  the  lake  called  Ascanius 
by  the  ancients,  now  that  of  Isnik. 

Mountains.  Many  of  the  mountains  of  Asiatic 
lurkey  deserve  particular  attention,  from  their  ancient 
celebrity.  The  first  rank  is  due  to  the  Taurian  chain  of 
antiquity,  which  was  considered  as  extending  from  the 
neighbourhood  of  the  Archipelago  to  the  sources  of  the 
Ganj^es,  and  the  extremities  of  Asia  so  far  as  discovered 
by  the  ancients.  But  this  notion'  little  accords  with  the 
descriptions  of  modern  travellers,  or  the  researches  of  re- 
cent geography  ;  and  we  might  perhaps  with  equal  justice 
inter  that  the  Carpathian  mountains,  the  Alps,  and  the  Py- 
renees constitute  one  chain.  Science  is  equally  impeded 
by  joining  what  ought  to  be  divided,  as  bv  dividing  what 
ought  to  be  joined.  The  Caucasian  mountains  have  been 
well  delineated  by  the  Russian  travellers,  as  formint?  a 
range  from  the  mouth  of  the  river  Cuban,  in  the  N.  W?  to 
Wwcre  the  river  Kur  enters  the  Caspian,  in  the  S.  E.  'J  he 
remaining  intelligence  is  dubious  and  defective  ;  but  it 
would  seem  that  a  chain  extends  from  Caucasus  S.  W  to 

U2 


234 


TURKEY  IN  ASIA. 


; 


near  the  bay  of  Scanderoon.  This  ridge  seems  the  Anti- 
Taurus  of  antiquity  :  but  various  parts  of  it  were  known 
by  different  names.  At  the  other  extremity  of  the  Cau- 
casus other  chains  branch  out  into  Persia  ;  which  they  per- 
vade  from  N.  W.  to  S,  E.  but  they  may  all  be  justly  con- 
sidered  as  terminating  in  the  deserts  of  the  southeastern 
part  of  Persia  ;  or  as  having  so  imperfect  a  connection  with 
the  mountains  of  Hindoo  Koh,  which  supply  the  western 
sources  of  the  Indus,  that  it  would  be  mere  theory  to  re- 
gard them  as  a  continued  chain.  The  chain  of  Taurus, 
now  called  Kurun,  perhaps  from  the  old  Greek  name  Ce- 
raunus,  extends  from  about  600  miles  E.  and  W.  from  tlie 
Euphrates  to  near  the  shores  of  the  Archipelago.  A  re- 
cent traveller  found  the  ascent  and  descent,  between  Ain- 
tab  and  Bostan,  to  occupy  three  days  ;  and  the  heights 
abound  with  cedars,  savines,  and  junipers. 

Towards  the  east  of  Armenia  is  Ararat.  It  is  a  detach- 
ed mountain,  with  two  summits ;  the  highest  being  covered 
with  eternal  snow.  In  one  of  the  flanks  is  an  abyss,  or 
precipice,  of  prodigious  depth,  the  sides  being  perpendicu- 
lar, and  of  .1  rough  black  appearance,  as  if  tinged  with 
smoke.  This  mountain  belongs  to  Persia,  but  is  here 
mentioned  on  account  of  connexion. 

Beyond  Ararat  are  branches  of  the  Caucasian  chain  ;  to 
which,  as  is  probable,  belong  the  mountains  of  Clevend, 
which  seem  to  be  the  Niphates  of  antiquity. 

In  Syria  the  most  celebrated  mountain  is  that  of  Le- 
banon, or  Libanus,  running  in  the  southerly  and  northerly 
direction  of  the  Mediterranean  shore,  and  generally  at  the 
distance  of  about  30  or  40  miles.  The  Anti-Libanus  is  a 
short  detached  chain,  running  nearly  parallel  on  the  east. 
These  mountains  are  of  considerable  height,  the  summits 
being  often  covered  with  snow ;  and  they  seem  to  be  cal- 
careous, the  granite  not  appearing  till  the  neighbourhood 
of  mount  Sinai  and  the  Arabian  gulph. 

The  eastern  side  of  the  Archipelago  presents  many 
mountains  of  great  height  and  classical  fame,  chiefly  in 
ranges  extending  from  N.  to  S.  Of  these  Olympus  (now 
Keshik  Dag)  is  one  of  the  most  celebrated,  and  is  describ- 
ed by  Tournefort  as  a  vast  range  covered  with  perpetual 
snow.  Many  small  streams  spring  from  Olympus,  and 
the  large  lake  of  t'Uatoad  is  another  receptacle  of  its 
water's. 


TURKEY  IN  ASIA.  235 

About  140  miles  to  the  west  of  Olympus  rises  mount 
Ida,  of  great  though  not  equal  height  The  summft  of 
Ida  was  by  the  ancients  called  Garganus;  from  XcT  ex 
tend  western  prominences  reaching  to  the  Hellespont  ^d 
aniidst  them  stood  the  celebrated  dty  oi\^oyTi!TL^t 
or  he  summit  of  Ida,  being  about  30  miles  irom  the  shore  • 
and  giving  source  to  the  Granicus,  the  bimois,  and  othe; 
noted  streams,  most  of  which  run  to  the  north.  To  the 
dia  n  cal  ed  ?i'f "'  ''  f l"^"^^^'  '"^^  '^"-'•-  detaches  a 
^fc^n^tlil^'c^cl^^^^^^^^  '^"^^'  '^^'^"^  ^^-"-^^  ^^-  '-'- 

VtGETABLK  AND  AnIMAL    PRODUCTIONS  Thp 

mountains   in    Asiatic    Turkey   are  often    clothed    with 
immense  forests  of  pines,  oaks,  beeches,  elms,  and  oier 

Among  the  indigenous  trees  may  be  distinguished  the 
ohve  tree  abounding  throughout  the  whoirircSa^o 
and  the  shores  of  the  Levant;  the  weeping  wilbw  Sva 

b'l^oV  t"'F    P-t-V»^-nches,  wLlfhas  adorSt 
banks  of  the  Euphrates  from  time  immemorial ;  the  wild 
olive,  bearing  a  small  sweet  esculent  fruit ;  the  .^hite  mul- 
beri^;the  storax  tree,  from  which  exudes  thri-LTant 
gum  resin  of  the  same  name,  the  pomegrLa^  almond 
tree,  and  peach  tree  ;  the  cherry,  a  native  of  Pontus  whence 
t  was  brought  to  Rome  by  Lucullus ;  the  kmon  and  orange! 
the  myrtle,  growing  plentifully  by  the  side  of  runnfn^ 
s  reams;  the  plantain  tree;  the  vine,  in  a  perfectly  wSd 
state  chmbing  up  the  highest  trees,  and  forming  verdint 
grottos  among  its  ample  festoons;  the  mastich"chiotur 
pentine,  and  pistachia  nut  tree  ;  the  cypress  the  ceda.     a 
ew  large  trees  of  which  still  remain  on  iVi^unt  Lebanon 
the  venerable  relics  of  its  sacred  forests.     T  he  fil  tree* 
and  sycamore  fig,  abounding  in  Palestine  and  othe?  parts 
of  Syria ;  the  date  tree,  the  prickly  cupped  oak,  from  which 

Z  Evt/'"  ^ri  "^"^^^^-^^  the  oi'ientTl  p?ane 
L.^  J^  esteemed  lor  its  shady  tent-like  canopy  of  fo- 
"age;  and  menispermum  cccculus,  the  berries  of  which 
commonly  ca  led  cocculus  indicus.  are  much  used  by  the 
natives  for  taking  fish,  on  account  ef  their  narcotic  qualities 

arer.o'l'^Jf  ^  ^'T^^  '''''''^''  ^^  '^^  materia  medfca 
drein)  'orted  from  the  I  ^vn.*  o«,.^« u:-u .  . 

riiio«.    J        11 —  •'", "  '"  ***"""&  "i"ui  niuy  oe  parti- 

cuJar.^.d  madder,  jalap,  scammony,  sebesten,  c4ton  tine 
lorium  J  ricinus  communis,  the  seed  of  which  yields  by  ex- 


J 


i 


33G 


TURKEY  IN  ASIA. 


pression  the  castor  oil ;  squirting  cucumber,  coloquintida; 
opium  poppy,  and  spikenard. 

The  best  horses  in  Asiatic  Turkey  are  of  Arabian  ex- 
tract,  and  are  sparingly  fed  with  a  little  barlev  and  minced 
straw,  to  accustom  them  to  abstinence  and  fatigue  ;  but 
mu'es  and  asses  are  in  more  general  use  ;  beef  is  scarce 
and  bad.  The  mutton  is  superior  ;  and  the  kid  is  a  favour- 
ite repast. 

In  Asiatic  Turkey  appears  that  king  of  ferocious  ani- 
mals the  lion,  yet  he  rarely  roams  to  the  west  of  the  Fu- 
phrates :  large  tygers  seem  to  be  restricted  to  the  wastes  of 
Hindostan.  The  hyaena,  and  the  wild  boar,  are  known  aiii-^ 
mals  of  Asia  Minor,  together  with  troops  of  jackals,  which 
raise  dreadful  cries  in  the  nij^ht. 

The  ibex,  or  rock  goat,  appears  on  the  summits  of  Cau- 
casus. The  goats  of  Angora  have  been  aire  ady  mtntioned. 
The  common  antelope  is  also  an  inhabitant  of  Asia  Minor, 
with  numerous  deer  and  hares. 

Minerals.  The  mineralogy  of  those  extensive 
and  mountainous  provinces  remains  in  a  deplorable  state  of 
imperfection.  Ancient  Lydia  was  famous  for  the  produc- 
tion of  gold ;  but  in  modern  times  no  mines  seem  to  be  in- 
dicated,  except  those  of  copper  which  supply  Tokat;  lead, 
and  copper  ore,  with  rock  crystals,  have  been  observed  in 
the  island  of  Cyprus. 


ISLANDS  BELONGING  TO  ASIATIC  TURKEY. 


THE  chief  islands  in  the  A rchipelaijo,  considered  asbe- 
longing  to  Asia, are  ^:ytilene,Scio,^amos,Cos,and  Rhodes. 

Mytilene,  the  ancient  Lesbos,  is  the  most  northerly  and 
largest  of  these  isles,  beinp  about  40  British  miles  in  length, 
by  24  at  its  j^reatest  breadth.  The  climate  is  exquisite :  and 
it  was  anciently  noted  for  wines,  and  the  beauty  of  the 
•women. 

Scio,  the  ancient  Chios,  is  about  36  British  miles  in 
leiigth,  but  only  about  13  in  medial  breadth.  The  Chian 
wine  celebrated  by  Horace,  retains  its  ancient  fame.  The 
Greeks  here  enjoy  considerable  freedom  and  ease  ;  and  dis- 
play such  industry  that  the  country  resambies  a  garden. 
This  particular  favour  arises  from  the  cultivation  of  the 


TURKEY  IN  ASIA.  aar 

mastic  tree,  or  rather  shrubs,  ivhich  supply  the  cum,  so 
acceptable  to  tho  ladies  of  the  sultan's  seraglio.  Tourne- 
fort  observed  here  lanie  partridges,  kept  like  poultry  ;  and 
Chandler  saw  numerous  groves  of  lemons,  oranges,  anrf 
citrons,  perfummg  the  air  with  the  odour  of  their  blossoms, 
and  dehghtmg  the  eye  with  their  golden  fruit.  The  in- 
habitants are  supposed  to  be  about  60,000 

Samosis  about  30  miles  in  length,  and  10  in  breadth. 
1  ournetort  computes  the  inhabitants  at  12,000,  all  Greeks. 
1  he  pottery  of  Samos  was  anciently  excellent ;  but  at  pre- 
sent niost  branches  of  industry  are  neglected.  Pitch  is  pre- 
pared from  the  pine  trees  in  the  north  part  of  the  island, 
and  the  silk,  honey,  and  wax  are  esteemed. 

Cos  is  about  24  miles  in  length,  by  three  or  four  in 
Ijreadth.  It  is  covered  with  groves  of  lemon  trees,  and 
there  is  an  oriental  plane  tree  of  vast  size,  and  the  chief 
trade  is  in  oranges  and  lemons. 

Rhodes  is  about  36  British  miles  in  length,  by  15  in 
breadth.  It  is  fertile  in  wheat,  though  the  soil  be  of  a  san- 
dy nature.  The  population  is  computed  at  about  30,000. 
Ihe  city  of  the  same  name,  in  which  no  Christian  is  now 
permitted  to  dwell,  was  anciently  noted  for  a  colossus  in 
bronze,  about  1 30  feet  high.  This  isle  was  for  two  cen- 
turies possessed  by  the  knights  of  St.  John  of  Jerusalem, 
thence  styled  of  Rhodes,  till  1523,  when  they  were  exnel- 
led  by  the  Turks.  ^ 

Alongtrie  southern  shore  of  Asia  Minor,  there  are  some 
small  isles  ;  but  they  are  of  no  moment  when  compared 
with  the  large  and  celebrated  island  of  Cyprus,  which  is 
about  160  British  miles  in  length,  and  about  70  at  its  great- 
est breadth.     In  the  fifteenth  century  this  isle  was  possess- 
ed by  the  Venetians  J  but  in   1570  it  was  seized  by  the 
1  urks.     The  soil  is  fertile,  yet  agriculture  is  in  a  neglect- 
ed state.     The  chief  products  are  silk,  cotton,  wines,  tur- 
pentine, and  timber.     The  wine  of  Cyprus  is  deservedly 
celebrated.     The  oranges  are  excellent ;  and  the  moun- 
tains are  covered  with  hyacinths  and  anemonies,  and  other 
beautiful  flowers.  The  Cypriots  are  a  tall  and  elegant  race  • 
but  the  chief  beauty  of  the  women  consists  in  their  spark- 
ling eyes.     To  the  disgrace  of  the  Turkish  government  the 
population  of  this  extensive  island  is  computed  at  50.000 
souis.      ao  populous  was  it  under  the  r'eign  of  Trajan, 
that  the  Jews  invaded  the  island  and  slew  240,000  of  its 


238 


TURKEY  IN  ASIA. 


iuhabitants,  since  which  a  Jew  is  not  suffered  to  enter 
the  island,  and  so  rich  as  to  tempt  the  avarice  of  the  Ro- 
mans, who  sent  thither,  to  fleece  the  inhabitants,  Cato  :  he 
raised  a  contribution  of  7000  talents  equal  to  2,100,000 
crowns.  In  order  to  convey  this  vast  sum  safely  to  Rome, 
he  divided  it  into  small  portions,  which  he  put  up  in  se- 
veral boxes,  of  about  two  and  a  half  talents  each ;  and  to 
each  box  he  fastened  a  long  rope  with  a  piece  of  cork  at  the 
end  of  it ;  by  which,  in  case  of  shipwreck,  the  treasure 
might  be  seen  again. 

There  is  not  one  river  in  the  island,  that  continues  its 
course  in  the  summer ;  but  there  are  many  ponds,  lakes, 
and  fens,  producing  a  damp  and  malif^nant  air.  The  chief 
cities  are  Nicosia,  the  capital  and  reaidenceof  the  goveoior, 
and  Famagusta. 


RUSSIAN  EMPIRE  IN  ASIA. 


Extent.  THIS  large  portion  of  the  habitable 
globe,  extends  almost  the  whole  length  of  Asia,  from  about 
the />7th  degree  of  longitude  east  of  London  to  more  than 
190  ,  or  133  of  western  longitude.  As  the  northern  lati- 
tude IS  very  high,  the  degree  shall  only  be  assumed  at  30 
miles,  and  the  length  may  thus  be  computed  at  about  4000 
geographical  miles.  The  greatest  breadth  from  the  cape 
ot  Levero  Vostochnoi,  called  in  some  maps  Taimura,to 
the  Altaian  chain  of  mountains  on  the  south  of  the  sea  of 
Baikal,  may  be  28o  or  1680  geographical  miles,  an  extent 
which  will  be  found  to  exceed  that  of  Europe. 

Boundaries.  The  farthest  eastern  boundary  is 
that  of  Asia,  and  the  seas  of  Kamchatka  and  Ochotsk ;  while 
the  northern  is  the  Arctic  ocean.  On  the  west  the  frontiers 
correspond  with  those  between  Asia  and  Europe.  The 
river  Cuban,  part  of  the  Caucasian  chain,  and  an  ideal  line, 
divide  the  Russian  territory  from  Turkey  and  Persia  on  the 
south.  The  boundary  then  ascends  through  the  desert  of 
Issim,  till  it  meets  the  vast  empire  of  China ;  the  limits  be- 
tween Russia  and  Chinese  Tatary  being  partly  an  ideal 
hne ;  and  partly  the  river  Argoon,  which  joined  with  the 
Onon  constitutes  the  great  river  Amur. 

Original    Population.  The    population    of 

Asiatic  Russia  may  be  regarded  as  wholly  primitive,  ex- 
cept a  few  Russian  colonies  recently  planted,  and  the 
lechuks  in  the  part  opposite  to  America,  who  have  been 
supposed  to  have  proceeded  from  that  continent,  because 
"icir  persons  and  cuslonis  j.re  different  from  those  of  the 
other  Asiatic  tribes.      The   radically   distinct  languages 


240 


RUSSIAN  EMPIRE  IN  ASIA. 


amount  to  seven,  independent  of  many  dialects  and  mix- 
tures. 

When  the  Russians  began  the  conquest  of  the  country, 
being  unconscious  of  its  extent,  the  name  of  Sibir,  or  Sibe- 
ria which  belonged  only  to  a  western  province  was  gradual- 
ly diffused  over  the  whole,  comprising  half  of  Asia. 

The  boundary  between  China  and  Russia  is  the  most  ex- 
tensive on  the  globe,  reaching  from  about  the  65th  to  the 
145th  degree  of  longitude;  eighty  degrees  (latitude  fifty) 
computed  at  39  geographical  miles,  will  yield  the  result  of 
3120  miles.  Its  history  therefore  becomes  singular  and 
interesting. 

Antiquities.  The  most  curious  antiquities  seem 
to  be  the  stone  tombs  which  abound  in  some  steppes,  par- 
ticularly near  the  river  Yenesei,  representing  in  rude  sculp- 
ture human  faces,  camels,  horsemen  with  lances,  and 
other  objects.  Here  are  found  besides  human  bones  those 
of  horses  and  oxen,  with  fragments  of  pottery  and  orna- 
ments of  dress. 

Religion.  The  Grecian  system  of  the  Christian 
faith,  which  is  embraced  by  the  Russians,  has  made  incon- 
siderable progress  in  their  Asiatic  possessions.  Many  of 
the  Tatar  tribes  in  the  S.  W.  are  Mahometans ;  others 
follow  the  superstition  of  the  Dalai  I^ama,  and  the  more 
eastern  Tatars  are  generally 'addicted  to  the  Shaman  reli- 
gion, a  system  chiefly  founded  on  the  self-existence  of 
matter,  a  spiritual  world,  and  the  general  restitution  of  all 
things.  This  system  is  intimately  connected  with  that  of 
the  Dalai  Lama,  and  is  so  widely  diffused,  that  some  have 
asserted  Shamanism  to  be  the  most  prevalent  system  or  the 
globe. 

The  archiepiscopal  see  of  Tobolsk  is  the  metropolitan 
of  Russian  Asia  in  the  north,  and  that  of  Astracan  in  the 
south.  There  is  another  see,  that  of  Irkutsk  and  Nershink, 
and  perhaps  a  few  others  of  recent  foundation. 

Government.  Siberia  is  divided  into  two  great 
governments,  that  of  Tobolsk  in  the  west,  and  Irkutsk  in 
the  east.  In  the  S.  W.  is  the  government  of  Caucasus, 
with  one  or  two  other  divisions,  intermingling  Europe  and 
Asia.  At  a  distance  from  the  capital  the  government  be- 
comes proportionably  lax,  and  tribute  is  the  chief  marii  c? 
subjection. 


ts  and  mix- 


RUSSIAN  EMPIRE  IN  ASIA.  2il 

Population.  The  population  of  Siberia  cannot 
be  computed  at  above  three  millions  and  a  half;  so  that 
Europe  can  m  future  have  little  to  apprehend  from  the 
lataric  swarms  Small  Russian  colonies  have  been  esta! 
bhshed  in  several  of  the  distant  provinces  and  isles.  The 
pohticul  importance  and  relations  of  this  part  of  the  Russian 
empire  chiefly  relate  to  China  and  Japan^ 

tnm  AVr^'f  r°  .^^«'^°^«-  'A  he  manners  and  cus- 
toms of  Asiatic  Russia  vary  with  the  numerous  tribes  bv 
whom  that  extensive  regioa  is  peopled.  ^ 

1  he  manners  of  the  Tatars,  who  are  the  most  numerous, 
and  he  same  people  with  the  Huns  of  antiquity,  are  mi 

all  ot  the  Roman  empire,  prior  to  which  period  f  -y  seem 
to  have  been  aosolutely  unknown  to  the  ancients  Th^ 
Monguls  are  wholly  Nomadic,  their  herds  cons  siine  of 
horses,  camel.,  oxen,  sheep  and  goats.  The  women  tan 
leather,digthe  culinary  roots,  prepare  the  winter  pro^fsbns 
dined  or  salted,  and  distil  the  koumiss,  or  spiritTmTre'.' 
milk.  1  he  men  hunt  the  numerous  beasts  and  ^an^that 
k^nT  f  fT^^^  K  "  '^''  ^^^^^'     'J^'^^i^  ^ents  are  fomed  of  a 

th  prieS'havJ^.r"^'  ^T  ^l!^^  '''''  ""^^  temples  anS 
tne  priests  have  also  wooden  hovels  around  the  temples 

TheKalmuks  are  divided  into  three  ranks  ;  the  nStv' 
whom  they  call  white  bones ;  the  common  people,  who  aTe 
bondmen,  and  termed  black  bones;  and    he  clergy   de 

A«,  or  chief  pnnce,  consists  solely  in  the  number  and  onu 

wld^^t'jr '•'t?'  ^"T^^  'f^  °f  -  estim^Tn  in'so" 

/i  S  MO  tn^'^nnf  J' -f'  ^"'"^  ""  ^'"**'  ^i^'d^d  into 
iwaA*,  tiom  150  to  3()0  families,  each  Imak  beine   com 

pan  ofth'/ 'tf "";'  ^r^''"  ^'"^^  ^"^"^^  -  about'^atenTh 
part  of  the  cattle  and  other  property ;  but  on  the  first  sum- 

S.     rr""'""  "^"f  ^PP^^'-  on  horseback  before  the 

pnnce  whodismisses  those  whoare  unfit  for  the  fatigues  of 

21.  fi       weapons  are  bows,  lancts,  and  sabres,  and  some- 

tftt.,    "'"'^''  ^"^the  rich  warriors  are  clothed  in  mail 

The  Mon!j:uls  are  rathpr  slimf  :«  ^*„« !.i      ~ 

rVddtsh  m  vTn  '  •^\'^''  ^'\^^'  ^"^  ^'^^  complexion  of  a 
reUd.sh  01  yellow-  ish  brown ;  but  that  of  the  women  is  cle«r. 


^0L.  I 


X 


242 


RUSSIAN  EMPIRE  IN  ASIA. 


and  of  a  healthy  white  and  red.  They  have  surprising 
quiekness  of  sight  and  apprehension,  and  are  docile,  hospi- 
table, beneficent,  active,  and  voluptuous.  Industry  is  a 
virtue  entirely  female,  yet  great,  and  accompanied  with 
perpetual  cheerfulness.  Their  religious  books  are  in  the 
dialect  of  Tangut,  or  Tibet,  and  there  is  a  schoolmaster  in 
every  imak,  who  imparts  more  knowledge  to  the  boys  than 
would  be  expected.  Animal  food  is  abundant,  and  some- 
times mixed  with  vegetable,  while  the  general  drink  is 
water ;  but  they  sometimes  indulge  in  sour  milk,  prepared 
after  the  Tatarian  manner,  butter  milk,  and  koumiss ;  but 
mead  and  brandy  are  now  greater  favourites.  When  pas- 
turage begins  to  fail,  the  whole  tribes  strike  their  tents, 
generally  from  ten  to  fifteen  times  in  the  year,  proceeding 
in  the  summer  to  the  northern,  and  in  the  winter  to  the 
southern  wilds. 

Such,  with  some  slight  shades  of  difference,  are  also  the 
manners  of  the  Tatai  s  and  Mandshurs. 

The  three  distinct  barbaric  nations  of  Tatars,  Monguls, 
and  Tunguses,  or  Mandshurs,  are  by  far  the  most  interest- 
ing in  these  middle  regions  of  Asia,  as  their  ancestors  have 
overturned  the  greatest  empires,  and  repeatedly  influenced 
the  destiny  of  half  the  globe. 

Language.  The  languages  of  all  these  original  na- 
tions are  radically  different;  and  among  the  Tunguses, 
Monguls,  and  Tatars,  there  are  some  slight  traces  of  liter- 
ature ;  and  not  a  few  manuscripts  in  their  several  languages. 
In  the  Mongul  language  there  are  also  many  books,  writ- 
ten  in  the  various  countries  to  which  their  wide  conquests 
extended. 

Cities  and  Towns.  In  Asiatic  Russia  the  princi- 
pal city  is  Astracan,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Volga,  which  is 
supposed  to  contain  70,000  inhabitants.  The  wooden  houses 
have  exposed  it  to  frequent  conflagrations,  and  attempts 
have  been  vainly  made  to  enforce  the  use  of  brick.  There 
are  twenty-five  Russian  churches,  and  two  convents. 
The  Armenians,  Lutherans,  and  Papists,  have  also  their 
places  of  worship ;  and  even  the  Hindoos  have  been  per- 
mitted to  erect  a  temple.  The  chief  trade  of  Astracan  is 
in  salt  and  fish,  particularly  sturgeon  and  kaviar  from  the 

•»r_i .    _^J    :».   «1-,^   uffno/^t-c     cr»rr»«»  r»r»t«tinn    of '^•'•fnl'i-U.    r.OHl" 

merce. 


ire  also  the 


RUSSIAN  EMPIRE  IN  ASIA.  243 

The  chief  place  after  Astracan  is  Orenburg,  founded  in 
the  year  1740,  to  protect  the  acquisitions  in  these  parts, 
and  promote  their  commerce.  Nor  have  these  views  failed, 
lor  Orenburg  is  the  seat  of  a  considerable  trade  with  the 
tribes  on  the  east  of  the  Caspian. 

On  passing  the  Uralian  chain,  fii-st  occurs  the  city  of  To- 
bolsk,  which  only  contains  about  15,000  souls,  but  is  es- 
teemed  the  capital  of  Siberia.  Tobolsk  is  more  distin- 
guished  as  the  residence  of  the  governor  and  archbishop, 
than  tor  the  importance  of  its  commerce. 

On  the  river  Angara,  which  issues  from  the  sea  of 
JJaikal  stands  Irkutsk,  supposed  to  contain  12,000  inhabi- 
tants.     1  here  are  several  churches  and  other  edifices  of 

Irkmlw  .K  J°r '*^''  ^""r^^^  ^'*^  ^^^^^  ^""^  convenient. 
Irkutsk  IS  the  chief  mart  of  the  commerce  between  Russia 
and  China,  the  see  of  an  archbishop,  and  the  seat  of 
supreme  jurisdiction  over  eastern  Siberia. 

On  the  wide  and  frozen  Lena  stands  Yakutsk,  with  some 
stone  churches,  but  the  houses  are  mostly  of  wood.  The 
Lena  is  here  about  two  leagues  in  width,  (though  about  700 
miles  Irom  its  mouth,)  but  is  greatly  impeded  with  ice 

Manufactures  and  Commerce.  Ther€  are 
some  manufactures,  particularly  in  leather,  at  Astracan, 
Jsmglass  IS  chiefly  manufactured  on  the  shores  of  the  Cas- 
pian, irom  the  sounds  or  air  bladder  of  the  sturgeon,  and 
the  beluga.  Kaviar  is  the  salted  roe  of  large  fish  There 
is  a  considerable  fabric  of  nitre,  about  40  miles  to  the  north 
ot  Astracan.  Near  the  Uralian  mountains  are  several  ma- 
nutactures  in  iron  and  copper. 

The  chief  commerce  of  this  part  of  the  Russian  empire 
consists  m  sables,  and  other  valuable  furs,  which  are  eaeer- 
y  bought  by  the  Chinese,  who  return  tea,  silk,  and  po^cc- 
lain ;  that  with  the  Kirguses  is  carried  on  bv  exchangincr 
Kussian  woollen  cloths,  iron,  and  household  articles;  for 
norses,  cattle,  sheep,  and  beautiful  sheep-skins.  On  the 
Clack  bea  there  is  some  commerce  with  Turkey,  the  ex- 
ports being  furs,  kaviar,  iron,  linen,  Sec.  and  the  imports 
wine,  truit,  coffee,  silks,  rice.  In  the  trade  on  the  Caspian 
me  exports  are  the  same,  but  the  return  chiefly  silk. 

Climate  and  Seajjovs-         in    Aciot;,-   u.,oc;„  *u,. 

I'nm  ^VV^''^*'"'^'  *"''"""  ^^'^  ^"  '^  N-  f^'O"^  the  vine'arthe  bot'l 
A,vi-  ^^"^^''"^'  ^o  tl^e  solitary  lichen  on  the  rocks  of  the 
--victic  ocean.     The  general  climate  may  more  justly  be 


244 


RUSSIAN  EMPIRE  IN  ASIA. 


regarded  as  frigid  than  teniperate.  The  finesi  climate  in 
the  eastern  parts  seems  to  be  tliat  of  Oaouria,  or  the  pro- 
vince around  Nershinsk  ;  and  the  numerous  towns  on  the 
Amur  evince  the  great  superiority  of  what  is  called  r.hinese 
Tatary,  which  is  comparatively  a  fertile  and  temperate 
region. 

Soil  and  Agriculture.  Many  parts  of  Siberia 
are  totally  incapable  of  agriculture ;  but  in  the  south'^rn 
and  western  districts  the  soil  is  of  remarkable  l'<;rtility. 
Toward  the  north  of  Kolyvan  barley  generally  yields  more 
than  twelve  fold,  and  oats  commonly  twe'Vcy  fold.  Buck- 
wheat, in  this  black  light  mould,  is  apt  to  risn  into  stalk, 
but  sown  in  the  potxrest  spots  yields  from  twelve  to  fifteen 
fold.  Exclusive  of  winter  wheat,  most  of  the  usual  Eu- 
ropean grains  prosper  in  southern  Siberia,  llie  best  rhu- 
barb abounds  on  the  banks  of  the  Ural,  or  Jaik  in  the 
southern  districts. 
y  Rivers.        ^ome  of  the  largest  rivers  of  Asia  be- 

long to  the  Russian  empire.  The  Ob,  including  its  wide 
estuary,  may  be  said  to  hold  a  comparative  course  of  1,900 
British  miles,  while  that  of  the  Yeneseiis  about  1750,  and 
that  of  the  Lena  1570. 

The  Ob  is  navigable  almost  to  it?  source,  that  is,  to  the 
lake  of  Altyn,  and  abounds  with  fish,  but  the  sturgeon  of 
the  Irtish  are  the  most  esteemed.  After  it  has  been  fro- 
zen for  some  time,  the  water  becomes  foul  and  fetid,  but 
is  purified  in  the  spring  by  the  melting  of  the  snow. 

Next  is  the  Yf  nesei,  which  is  considered  as  deriving  its 
source  from  the  mountains  to  the  S.  W.  of  the  Baikal,  in 
the  river  called  Siskit ;  but  the  name  Yenesei  is  not  impart- 
ed till  many  streams  have  joined,  when  it  holds  its  course 
almost  due  north  to  the  Arctic  ocean.  This  river  has  seme 
rapids,  but  is  navigable  for  a  great  way. 

The  last  of  these  large  rivers  is  the  Lena,  which  rises 
to  the  west  of  the  sea  of  Baikal,  and,  till  near  Yakutsk,  pur- 
sues a  course  from  the  S.  W.  to  the  N.  E.  a  direction  of 
considerable  utility,  as  affording  navigation  to  the  remote 
regions.  From  Yakutsk  the  course  is  nearly  due  north; 
the  channel  being  of  great  breadth  and  full  of  islands.  Such 
are  the  three  largest  rivers  of  Asiatic  Russia ;  others  though 
of  considerable  magnitude  we  must  omit. 

Lakes.       In  the  north  of  Siberia  the  most  consider- 
able lake  is  that  of  Piazinsko.    In  the  south  the  sea  of 


RUSSIAN  EMPIRE  IN  ASIA. 


245 


Baikal  is  fresh,  but,  the  extent  far  exceeding  that  of  any 
other  lake.  Between  the  river  Ob  and  the  Irtish  is  a  laree 
lake,  about  half  the  length  of  the  Baikal,  or  170  miles  in 
length,  divided  by  an  island  into  two  parts,  called  the  lakes 
of  1  chany  and  Soumi.  In  this  quarter  there  are  many 
smaller  lakes,  and  others  to  the  north  of  the  Caspian,  some 
ot  which  are  salt,  particularly  that  of  liogdo,  near  the  small 
mountain  so  called. 

Mountains.  The  Uralian  mountains  have  been 
already  described  in  the  account  of  European  Russia  The 
grandest  chain  in  Siberia  is  that  called  the  mountains  of 
Altai,  which,  according  to  Pallas,  crossing  the  head  of  the 
Irtish,  presents  precipitous  and  snowy  summits  between 
that  river  and  the  sources  of  the  Ob.  Thence  it  winds  in 
various  courses,  and  under  different  names,  to  the  eastern 
extremity  of  Asia. 

According  to  Dr.  Pallas,  Bogdo  Tolu,  or  Bogdo  Alim, 
the  Almighty  mountain,  rears  its  pointed  summits  with 
striking  sublimity,  on  the  limit  between  the  Soonr  arian  and 
Mongolian  deserts,  while  the  chain  passes  south,  and  is 
supposed  to  join  those  of  Tibet. 

The  western  part  of  the  Altaian  chain  is  chiefly  arj-il- 
laceous,  with  granitic  heights,  but  many  parts  are  calcalc- 
ous.  bmnaia-Sopka,  or  the  blue  mountain,  the  chief  sum- 
mitm  the  government  of  Koiyvan,  does  not  exceed  3000 
leet  above  the  sea. 

That  space  of  the  Altaian  chain  which  runs  between  the 
Ub  and  the  Yenesei  has  been  little  explored ;  but  affords 
granite,  porphyry,  jasper,  primitive  and  secondary  lime- 
stone, with  serpentine,  petrosilex,  slate,  mountain  crystal, 
carnehan,  and  calcedony :  one  of  the  highest  summits  is  the 
^abin,  near  the  source  of  the  Abakan.     In  general  thev 

fi^evr^'         ^^^'""^  ^""''^"^^  ^""'"^^  '"  ^''^  bottoms  ntur  the 

hZ^l  "^o»ntains  of  Nershink,  or  Russian  Daouria,  send 
blanches  towards  the  Selinga,  ?nd  the  Amur.  Amont?  the 
products  may  be  named  granite,  porphyry,  jasper,  cidcc 
lony,  carnehan,  onyx,  large  smoaky  topazes,  beryl,  or 
qua-marine,  the  re.l  topaz,  and  the  jacint.  In  this  opu- 
lent  district  are  also  salt  lakes,  and  warm  sminos  with  vL 
^noiic  pyrites,  ores  of  alum,  native  sulphur,^ and' coah'The 

romJn-''"^  T""'  "'''';'  ''^PP'^^'  ^"^^  *^^"y  ^"i»^«  of  lead  ore, 
f^oiuaming  silver  and  gold. 

X2 


246 


RUSSIAN  EMPIRE  IN  ASIA. 


The  classical  range  of  Caucasus  forms  a  partial  limit 
between  the  Hussian  empire,  and  those  of  Turkey  and  Per- 
sia. Between  the  Euxine  and  the  Caspian  the  Caucasian 
chain  extends  for  about  400  British  miles.  The  summits 
are  covered  with  eternal  ice  and  snow ;  and  consist  as  usual 
of  granite,  succeeded  by  slute  and  limestone.  In  ancient 
times  they  produced  gold  ;  and  there  are  still  vestiges  of 
silver,  lead,  and  copper  ;  and  it  is  supposed  of  lapis  lazuli. 
The  vales  abound  with  excellent  forest  trees. 

Althouj^h  Asiatic  Russia  is  so  abundant  in  forests  that 
particular  names  have  not  been  assigned  to  so  vast  an  ex- 
tent, yet  the  northern  and  eastern  parts  of  Siberia  are  hare 
of  wood ;  the  Norway  fir  not  being  found  farther  north  than 
latitude  60".  In  Europe,  on  the  contrary,  the  Norway  iir 
extends  to  the  arctic  circle. 

Stepps.  After  the  forests,  may  be  considered  the 
extensive  uvel  plains,  almost  peculiar  to  Asia,  and  some 
parts  of  European  Russia :  but  somewhat  similar  to  the 
sandy  deserts  of  Africa.  The  sitpps  are  not  so  barren  of 
vegetation,  being  mostly  only  sandy,  with  scattered  patches 
of  thin  grass,  and  at  wide  intervals  a  stunted  thicket. 

On  the  eastern  side  of  the  Volga  begins  an  extensive 
stepp,  formerly  called  that  of  the  Kalmuks,  from  tribes 
who  used  to  roam  there,  till  they  withdrew  from  the  Rus- 
sian dominions  in  1771.  This  vast  desert  extends  about 
700  British  miles  from  E.  to  W,  and  including  Issim, 
nearly  as  far  from  N.  to  S.  but  on  the  N.  of  the  Caspian 
the  breadth  does  not  exceed  220. 

The  stepp  of  Barabin,  N.  VV.  of  Omsk,  is  about  400 
miles  in  length,  and  300  in  breadth,  contahiing  a  few  salt 
lakes,  but  in  general  of  a  good  black  soil,  interspersed 
with  forests  of  birch.  That  of  Issim  aspires  but  rarely  to 
the  same  quality  :  and  in  both  are  found  many  tombs,  in- 
closing the  remains  of  pastoral  chiefs,  Tatar  or  Mongul. 

The  vast  space  between  the  Ob,  and  the  Yenesei,  from 
the  north  of  Tomsk  to  the  Arctic  ocean,  is  regarded  as  one 
stepp,  being  a  prodigious  level  with  no  appearance  of 
a  mountain,  and  scarcely  of  a  hill. 

Vegetable  and  Animal  Productions.  Rus- 
sia in  Asia,  w>  .h  regard  to  its  vegetable  production,  is  di- 
vided by  nattrrc  into  two  unequal  poriors :  The  smaller 
of  these  is  bounded  on  the  west  by  the  Don,  and  Wolga, 
on  the  east  by  the  Uralian  mountains,  and  evi  the  south  by 


RUSSIAN  EMPIRE  IN  ASIA.  247 

Th3'PTT\-"1.^^^  '^"^'l^ish,  and  Persian  frontiers 
1  he  chmute  of  this  district  is  dehcious,  and  the  soil  fertlL!* 
It  slopes  towards  the  south,  and  is  protected  fomth/^''±^ 
crn  blasts  by  lofty  mountainous  ridges;  the  ce^a,  th^?. 
S'nu  "'"''  ^-^d  juniper,  bee^ch/anioakr^^^^^^^^^^ 
s  des  of  the  mountains  ;  the  almond,  the  peach  and  the  fie 
abound  ,n  the  warm  recesses  of  the  rocks;  the  cfuince  thf 
apncot,  the  willow-leaved  pear,  and  the  ;i  e  ^e^'^^ 

Tests""  T?r'V"  ''!  ''^^^^^^^'  ^"^  «"  ^'-  ^'l-^'-  of  the 
lorests.       i  he  olive,  the    stately  wide-spreading  eastern 

tuZT"''''^''''?''''''  '^^'  *"^  IaurLtinus,yow  ^ 
abundance  on  the  shores  of  the  sea  of  Azof,  and  the  ('as 
p.an  ;  and  the  romantic  vales  of  the  Caucasus  are  peifuncJ 

Ahli :"'  1 Z ''''  ^°"'^^  ''y ''''  '"-^y  ---  ts  of  thj 

Ahaian,  and  other  mountainous  chains.     As  the  winters 
are  ot  great  length  and  severity  throughout  the  Uo  e7f 

n^.h^rt'l"""'.,^"'  '^"^  I^ardiest  vegetables  arc  found  to 
inaabit  ,t.  Even  the  common  heath,  and  bog  myrtle,  which 
cover  the  lower  parts  of  Lapland,  venture  but  Tve^  iHtie 
way  eastward  of  the  Uralian  mountains.  We  are  no^t  I  ow! 
ever  hence  to  conclude  that  the  mighty  rivers  ot\Siber 
pour  their  everlasting  streams  through  a  barren  waste  if 
perpetual  snow  ;  on  the  contrary  they  are  boidererlith 
inexhaustible  forests  of  birch,  of  ak.r,^f  liL,  of  tI^^^^^^^ 
maple,  of  black  and  white  poplar,  and  aspen,  besides  mil" 
hons  of  noble  trees  of  the  pine  species,  such  ^s  thelr,^  e 
Scotch  p.ne,  the  larch,  the  stone  pine,  the  vew-leaved  fir 

In  the  greater  part  of  Asiatic  Ilussia  theVein  deer,  which 
extends  to  the  farther.east,  performs  the  office  of  the  iTorse 
he  cow,  and  the  sheep;  if  we  except  Kamchatka'  S 
dogs  are  used  for  carriage.  But  \he  south  may  per! 
haps  be  considered  as  the  native  country  of  that  noble  ani 
ma  ,  the  horse,  being  there  found  wild,  a's  well  as  a  spec  s 
of  the  ass.     The  terrible  urus  or  bison  is  yet  found  n  the 

the  rl"i- ''"""•    ^^'^  '^^"^  °^'  '""^^  g"^'  i^  frequent  on 
-   — „,.„^,,,,,  j^xv^ipjucs .-  ana  large  statrs  occur  in  tii« 

mZT  T'  t  ^-k^^-i^*^  tL  mu'sk  anTma  ;    he 
wild  boar,  wolves,  foxes,  and  bears,  of  various  names  and 


248 


RUSSIAN  EMPIRE  IN  ASIA. 


descriptions,  are  also  found.  That  kind  of  weazel  called 
the  sable  affords  a  valuable  traffic  by  its  firs.  Some  kinds 
of  hares  appear,  little  known  in  other  regions ;  and  the 
castor  or  beaver  is  an  inmate  of  the  Yenesei. 

The  horses  of  the  Monguls  are  of  singular  beauty,  some 
being  ribbed  like  the  tiger,  and  others  spotted  like  the  leo- 
pard. The  nostrils  of  the  foals  are  commonly  slitted,  that 
they  may  inhale  more  air  in  the  course.  The  three  great 
Nomadic  nations  of  the  centre  of  Asia,  the  Tatars,  Mon- 
guls, and  Mandshurs,  have  no  aversion  to  horse  flesh,  which 
is  in  their  opinion  superior  to  beef ;  but  it  is  never  eaten 
raw,  as  fabled,  though  they  sometimes  dry  it  in  the  sun  and 
air,  when  it  will  keep  for  a  long  time,  and  is  eaten  without 
farther  preparation.  The  adon^  or  stud  of  a  noble  IVlongul, 
may  contain  between  three  and  four  thousand  horses  and 
mares.  'IMie  cattle  are  of  a  middling  size,  and  pass  the 
winter  in  the  stepps  or  deserts.  As  these  nations  use  the 
milk  of  mares,  so  they  employ  the  cow  for  draught,  a 
string  being  passed  through  a  hole  made  in  their  nostril. 
Mr.  Bell  met  a  beautiful  Tatar  girl  astride  on  a  cow,  at- 
tended by  two  male  servants. 

Minerals.  The  mineralogy  of  Siberia  is  equally 
fertile.  Peter  the  Great,  who  directed  his  attention  to 
every  object  of  utility,  was  the  first  who  ordered  these  re- 
mote mines  to  be  explored. 

The  chief  gold  mines  of  Siberia  are  those  of  Catherin- 
burg  or  Ekatheringburg,  on  the  east  of  the  Uraliar,  moun- 
tains, about  latitude  57**,  where  an  office  for  the  manage- 
ment of  the  mines  was  instituted  in  1719.  The  mines  of 
various  sorts  extend  to  a  considerable  distance  on  the  N. 
and  S.  of  Catherinburg,  and  the  founderies,  chiefly  for  cop- 
per and  iron,  are  computed  at  1  j.  But  the  gold  mines  of 
Beresof,  in  this  vicinity,  were  of  little  consequence  till  the 
reign  of  Elizabeth.  The  mines  of  Nershinsk,  discovered  in 
1704,  arc  principally  of  lead  mixed  with  silver  and  gold ; 
and  those  of  Koly  van,  chiefly  in  the  Schlangenberg,  or 
mountain  of  serpents,  so  called  by  the  German  miners,  b^,- 
gan  to  be  worked  for  the  crown  in  1748, 

But  the  iron  mines  of  Russia  are  of  the  most  solid  and 
lasting  importance,  particularly  those  which  supply  the 

Rock  salt  is  chiefly  found  near  the  Ilek,  not  far  from 
Orenburg.    Coal  is  scarcely  known  ;  but  sulphur,  alum. 


RUSSIAN  EMPIRE  IN  ASU.  U9 

saUmmoniac,  vitriol,  nitre,  and  natron,  are  found  in  abun- 

Normustthe  gems  of  Siberia  be  omitted,  of  which  there 
,s  a  great  variety.  Common  topazes  are  found  ii  Adun- 
shol  o,  m  quadrangular  prisms,  as  is  also  the  jacint  The 
beryl  or  aqim-marme  is  found  in  what  are  ca  led  the  ^em 
mmes  of  Moursmtsky  near  Catherinburg,  along  wkh^]^ 
chrysolite  R.d  garnets  abound  near  the  sea  o^BaUca 
and  a  yellowish  white  kind  was  discovered  by  Laxman 
i  he  green  felspar  of  Siberia  is  a  beautiful  stone,  by  the 
Russians  carved  into  various  ornaments.  The  Daourin 
mountains  between  the  Onon  and  the  Argoon  also  prod^^^^^ 
alSndTo^h^^^S^  --  --  -'  ^-ifu?  ston^: 


ISLES  BELONGING  TO  ASIATIC  RUSSIA. 

THESE  were  formerly  divided  into  the  Aleutian  An- 
drenovian,  and  Kurilian  groups,  with  the  Fox  s  er^hich 
extend  to  the  promontory  of  Alaska  in  North  America 
Jt  the  Aleutian  isles,  on  the  east  of  Kamchatka,  there  are 
only  two  worth  notice,  Beering's  isle  and  Cooped  isle  The 
Andrenovian  isles  may  be  regarded  as  the  same  whh  the 

and  lit  /''""^  ;^-'  "^"'^"*  P^^^  <>f  '"^^  same  lilnge  ; 
the's^E"!  o" rrg's."  ""'  ""^  '^'^'^  ^'^"^  '''  -^-  '^ 

tnrl^^f  ^"""l"  f""^  ^''*'^"^  *'^**"^  *^e  southern  promon- 
ory  of  Kamchatka  towards  the  land  of  Jesso  and  Japan 
being  supposed  to  be  about  20  in  number,  of  which  the 
argest  are  Poro  Muschir,  and  Mokanturu.  Several  of 
these  isles  are  volcanic ;  and  some  contain  forests  of  birch, 
alder,  and  pme.  Most  of  them  swarm  with  foxes  of  va 
mus  colours  The  inhabitants  of  the  Kurihan  Lies  seem 
to  be  of  similar  origin  with  the  Kamchadals. 


THE  CHINESE  EMPIRE. 


IN  the  last  century  the  Chinese  emperors,  of  the  Mand- 
shur  race,  extended  this  wide  empire  orer  many  western 
cduntries,  inhabited  by  wandering  hordes  of  Mongqls, 
Mandshurs,  and  Tatars  ;  and  established  such  firm  influ- 
cnce  over  Tibet,  that  the  Chinese  empire  may  now  be  con- 
sidered as  extending  from  those  parto  of  the  Pacific  ocean 
culled  the  Chinese  and  Japanic  seas,  to  the  rivers  Sarasou 
and  Sihon  in  tha  west,  a  space  of  81^,  which,  taking  the 
medial  latitude  of  30°,  will  amount  to  nearly  4,200  geo- 
graphical, or  4,900  British  miles.  From  N.  to  S.  this  vast 
empire  may  be  computed  from  the  Uralian  mountains,  lal. 
50°,  to  the  southern  part  of  China  about  lat.  2 1'^, 


inc:29 


degrees  of  latitude,  1 740  geographical,  or  nearly  2,030  Bri- 
tish miles.  It  may  be  divided  into  three  parts,  viz.  China 
pnoper,  the  territory  of  the  Monguls  and  Mandshurs,  and 
th«  interior  country  of  Tibet. 


CHINA  PROPER. 


1  HIS  distinguished  region  is,  by  the  natives  stvl*.rl 
Tchon-Koue,  which  signifies  th^  centre  of  hTjarthri 
they  proudly  regard  other  countries  as  merfsklts  ind 

ffrn"p:^t"bv°tie"?  '""  H  ^'^^^r '''  -"^,"^7  of^he  no"r' 
nern  part  by  the  descendants  of  Zintjis,  it  was  stvl^H  rl 

ay,  while  the  southern  part  was  knobby  tre  ap^i  on 
of  Mangi.  1  he  origin  of  the  name  of  China,  or  Tsb  seem« 
uncertain;  but  the  connexion  between  tht^ "ord  anTthe 
W  h         "^K'^'^'f  ^PP"^''^  imaginary,  the  country  of  he 

n  Kv  u  ^u  ^Jf  hometan  travellers  of  the  ninth  centurv 
pubhshed  by  Renaudot,  call  this  country  Sin  but  the  PeT 
sians  pronounce  it  Tchin.  '  ^^' 

China  Proper  extends  from  the  great  wall  in  the  north 

V^p  v"r'  T  '"  t'  ^°"^^'  ^b«"t  1 140  ^eographicator 
13o0  British  miles.  The  breadth  from  the  sLres  of 'thl 
Pacific  to  the  frontiers  of  Tibet  may  be  comnuteH  Tt  h«! 
geographical,  or  nearly  1030  BritiL  .X^^Tn  ,1/re 
miles  the  contents  have  been  estimated  at  1,297,999  On 
he  east  and  south  the  boundaries  are  maritime,  and  to  the 
north  they  are  marked  ,y  the  great  wall  an?the  desen  of 
^hamo ;  the  confines  with  Tibet  on  the  west  seem  tnh; 
cMy  indicated  by  an  ideal  line,  though  occ^onTl"  1': 
strongly  marked  by  mountains  and  rivers 

seen.?l?',rV  ''•^'^''';^'°''-       ^^^^  Pop^'lation  of  China 
seems  wholly  aboriginal,  but  the  form  of  the  features  an 

nT  M^nT?^  intimate  affinity  with  the  Tatars  Mon.l 
and  Mandshurs ;   yet  the  Chinese  probably  constitnt  . 

i     eSl'JaTer'"'  ^^^^^^^  ^^^^-^  iVom  either  o7 


252 


CHINA  PROPER. 


Historical  Epochs.      The  Chinese  history  is  said 
to  commence,  m  a    clear  and  constant  narration,  about 
2500  years  before  the  birth  of  Christ.     The  founder  of  the 
monarchy  is  I'o-Hi ;  but  the  regular  history  begins  with 
Yao.     The  dynasties  or  families  who  have  successively 
held  the  throne  amount  to  22,  from  the  first  named  Uia, 
to  the  present  house  of  'I'sing.     Sometimes  the  monarchy 
is  divided  into  that  of  the  south,  wliich  is  esteemed  the 
ruling  and  superior  inheritance ;  and  that  of  the  north.  The 
Mandshurs  to  the  north  of  China  repeatedly  influenced  the 
succession  to  tlie  empire  ;  but  the  Monjruls  under  Zingis 
and  his    successors    seized  the    five  northern  provinces. 
Hoaitsinp;,  who  began  to  reign  A.  D.  1627,  was  the  last 
prince  of  the  Chinese  dynasties.     Some  unsuccessful  wars 
against  the  Mandshurs,  had  rendered  this  emperor  melan- 
choly and  cruel ;  and  insurrections  arose,  the  most  formi- 
dable being  conducted  by  two  chiefs  Li  and  Techang. 
The  former  besie,^ed  Pekin,  which  was  surrendered  by  the 
general  discontent,  and  the  emperor,  retiring  to  his  garden, 
first  slew  his  daughter  with  his  sabre,  and  afterwards  hang- 
ed  himself  on  a  tree,  having  only  lived  .So  years.      The 
usurper  seemed  firmly  seated  on  the  throne,  when  a  prince 
of  the  royal  family  invited  the  Mandshurs,  who  advanced 
under  their  king  Tson  Te.     The  Mandshur  monarch  had 
scarcely  entered  China  when  he  died  ;  and  his  son  of  six 
years  of  age  was  declared  emperor,  the  regency  being  en- 
trusted to  his  uncle.      The  young  prince  named  Chun 
Tchig,  was  the  first  emperor  of  the  present  dynasty,  and 
has  been  followed  by  four  princes  of  the  same  Mandshur 
family. 

Antiquities.  The  chief  remain  of  ancient  art  in 
China  is  th  i.t  stupendous  wall,  extending  across  the  northern 
boundary.  This  work,  vvhich  is  deservedly  esteemed  among 
the  grandest  labours  of  art,  is  conducted  over  the  summits 
of  high  mountains,  some  of  which  rise  to  the  hcii^ht  of 
5295  feet,  across  the  deepest  vales,  over  wide  rivers  by 
means  of  arches;  and  in  many  parts  is  doubled  or  trebled 
to  command  important  passes  and  at  the  distance  of  almost 
every  hundred  yards  is  a  tower  or  massy  bastion.  The  ex- 
tant is  computed  at  I  jOO  miles  ;  but  in  some  parts  of  smal- 
ler danger  it  is  not  equally  strong  nor  complete,  and  to- 
wards the  N.  W.  is  only  a  ranipurl  of  earth.  Near  Koo- 
peko  the  wall  is  25  feet  in  height,  and  at  the  top  about  15 


CHINA  PROPER. 


353 


ieet  thick:  some  of  the  towers  which  arc  square,  are  48 
feet  high  and  about  50  feet  wide. 

When  this  stupendous  wall  was  erected  is  uncertain  • 
some  authors  say  it  has  been  standing  2000  years,  and 
others  only  600.  /  "  »>  «"u 

Religion.  According  to  Du  Halde  the  ancient 
Chinese  worshipped  a  supreme  being,  whom  they  styled 
Chang  Ti,  or  1  ,en.  They  also  worshipped  subaltern  spi- 
rits  who  presided  over  kingdoms,  provinces,  cities,  rivers, 
and  mountains.  Under  this  system  sacrifice*  were  offered 
on  the  summits  of  hills.  "ncrea 

About  A.  D.  65,  the  sect  of  Fo  was  introduced  into 
China  from  Hindostan,  and  the  chief  tenets  are  those  of 
the  hindoos,  among  which  is  the  metempsychosis,  or  tran- 
sition ol  souls  from  one  animal  to  another.  The  oriests 
are  denominated  Bonzes,  and  Fo  is  supposed  to  be  gratified 
by  the  favour  shewn  to  his  servants. 

Since  the  fifteenth  century  many  Chinese  literati  have 
embraced  a  new  system,  which  acknowledges  an  universal 
pnncple,  under  the  name  of  Taiki,  seeming  to  correspond 

T  e  rir'"^"^''^  T^^  "^  ^^'^^^  ^"-^"^  philosophers 
Ihc  Chinese  believe  also  in  petty  demons  who  deliUt  in 

nd  the  Chinese  temples  are  always  open,  nor  is  there  an^ 
subdivision  of  the  month  known  in  the  country  ^ 

tiovERNMENT.         The  government  of  China  is  well 
known  to  be  patriarchal     The  emperor  is  indeed  absolute 
but  the  examples  of  tyrrnny  are  rare,  as  he  is  taught  to  re- 
gard his  people  as  his  -Jiildren,  and  not  as  his  slaves.     All 
the  officers  ofgovernment  pass  through  a  regular  education 
and  a  progress  of  rank,  which  are  held  indispensable      Of 
these  officers,  who  have  been  called  mandarins,  there  are 
nme  classes,  from  the  judge  of  the  village  to  the  prime  mi! 
TZJ^^  profession  requiring  a  long  and  severe  course 
ot  study,  the  practice  of  government  remains,  like  that  of 
medicine,  unshaken  by  exterior  events ;  and  while  the  im- 
pena  throne  is  subject  to  accident  and  force,  the  remain- 
aer  ot  the  machine  pursues  its  usual  circle. 

novver  ITTu-  "^^*'*'  P'-ovinces  have  great  and  absolute 
power,  yet  rebellions  are  not  unfiequent!  Bribery  is  also 
^universal  vice  ;  and  the  Chinese  government,  S  man; 
owners,  is  more  fair  In  tVi*»  *k<.««.,  ♦i.,,.  :„  .>  .  .  ^.  ."' 
tlif.  ar«    •  ,"  "  "'"  "'^"*:^  '•^»«J»  "1  i"e  practice,  let 

nie  amazing  population,  and  the  general  ease  j 


Vol.  I. 


happi 


254  CHINA  PROPER. 

ness  of  the  people,  evince  that  the  administration  of  the  go- 
vernment  must  be  more  beneficent  than  any  yet  known 

^^AereSbly  to  a  table  pubrished  by  Sir  G.  Staunt<5ti  there 
are  in  Chin»  Proper  18  provinces,  1,297,999  square  miles, 
and  333,Obo,000  of  inhabitants.  ^    r-r    . 

The  army  has  been  computed  at  1,000,000  of  infantry, 
and  800,000  cavalry  ;  and  the  revenues  at  about  thirty-six 
millions  and  a  half  of  Tahels,  or  ounces  of  silver,  or  about 
nine  millions  sterling;  but  as  rice  and  other  gram  are  also 
paid  in  kind,  it  may  be  difficult  to  estimate  the  precise 
amount  or  relative  value  compared  with  Eiiropean  money. 
Sir  G.  Staunton,  estimates  the  revenue  at  200,000,000 
of  silver,  which,  he  says,  is  equal  to  66,000,000/.  sterling; 
but  valuing  the  ounce  of  silver  at  five  shillings,  the  amount 
is  50,000,000/.  ^,  ,  ,    . 

Manners  and  Customs.         The   Chinese  being 
a  people  in  the  highest  state  of  civilization,  their  manners 
and  customs  might  require  a  long  description ;  the  limits 
of  this  work  will  only  admit  a  few  hints.     In  the  sea  ports 
there  is  an  appearance  of  fraud  and  dishonesty ;  but  it  is  to 
be  supposed  that  this  is  not  the  general  character.     Ihe 
indolence  of  the  upper  classes,  who  are  even  fed  by  their 
servants,  and  the  nastiness  of  the  lower,  who  eat  almost 
every  kind  of  animal,  in  whatever  way  it  may  have  died, 
are  also  striking  rlefects,  occasioned,  perhaps,  by  dire  ne- 
cessity in  so  populous  a  country.     To  the  same  cause  rna 
be  imputed  the  exposition  of  the  infants.     On  the  othe 
hand  the  character  of  the  Chinese  is  mild  and  tranquil,  and 
universal  affability  is  very  rarely  interrupted  by  the  slight- 
est tincture  of  harshness  or  passion.  The  general  drink  is 
tea,  of  which  a  large  vessel  is  prepared  in  the  morning  tor 
the  occasional  use  of  the  family  during  the  day.  Marriages 
.     are  conducted  solely  by  the  will  of  the  parents,  and  polyga- 
mv  is  allowed.  The  bride  is  purchased  by  a  present  to  her 
parents,  and  i»  never  seen  by  her  husband  till  after  theceit- 
mony.     It  is  not  permitted  to  bury  in  cities  or  towns,  and 
the  sepulchres  are  commonly  on  barren  hills  and  moun- 
tains, where  there  is  no  chance  that  agriculture  will  distur 
the  deau.     The  colour  of  mourning  is  white,  that  persona 
nerject  or  forgetfulness  may  appear  in  its  squalor,     i^l 
Willis  of  the  houses  are  sometimes  of  brick,  or  of  hardei 
clav,  but  more  commonly  of  wood ;  and  they  geneK 


CHINA  PROPER. 


255 


consist  only  of  a  ground  floor,  though  in  those  of  mer- 
chants there  be  sometimes  a  second  story,  which  forms 
the  warehouse.  The  dress  is  long  with  large  sleeves,  and 
a  flowing  girdle  of  silk.  The  shirt  and  drawers  vary  ac- 
coi-ding  to  the  seasons,  and  in  winter  the  use  of  furs  is  ge- 
neral from  the  skin  of  the  sheep  to  that  of  the  ermine.  The 
head  is  covered  with  a  small  hat  in  the  form  of  a  funnel, 
but  this  varies  among  the  supe  .or  classes,  whose  rank  is 
distinguished  by  a  large  bead  on  the  top,  diversified  in  colour 
according  to  the  quality. 

Language.  The  language  is  esteemed  the  most 
singular  on  the  face  of  the  globe.  Almost  every  syllable 
constitutes  a  word  and  there  are  scarcely  1500  distinct 
sounds;  yet  in  the  written  language  there  are  at  least 
80,000  characters,  or  different  forms  of  letters,  so  that 
every  sound  may  have  about  50  senses.  The  leading  cha- 
racters are  denominated  keys,  which  are  not  of  difiicuit  ac- 
quisition. The  language  seems  originally  to  have  been, 
hieroglyphicai ;  but  afterwards  the  sound  alone  was  consi- 
dered. 

Education.  The  schools  of  education  are  nu- 
merous, but  the  children  of  the  poor  are  chiefly  taught  to 
follow  the  business  of  their  fathers.  In  a  Chinese  treatise 
of  education  published  by  Du  Halde,  the  following  are  re- 
commended as  the  chief  topics.  1 .  The  six  virtues,  name- 
ly, prudence,  piety,  wisdom,  equity,  fidehty,  concord.  2. 
The  six  laudable  actions,  to  wit,  obedience  to  parents,  love 
to  brothers,  harmony  with  relations,  afleclicn  for  neigh- 
bours, sincerity  with  friends,  and  mercy  with  regard  to  the 
poor  and  unhappy.  3.  The  six  essential  points  of  know- 
ledpje,  that  of  religious  rites,  music,  archery,  horseman- 
ship, writing,  and  accompts.  Such  a  plan  seems  well  cal- 
culated to  make  good  citizens. 

Cities  and  Towns.  The  chief  cities  of  China  are 
Pekin  and  Nankin,  or  the  northern  and  southern  courts. 
Pekin  occupies  a  large  space  of  ground  ;  but  the  streets 
are  wide,  and  the  houses  seldom  exceed  one  story.  The 
length  of  what  is  called  the  Tatar  city  is  about  four  miles, 
and  the  suburbs  are  considerable.  By  the  best  information 
^vhlch  the  recent  embassy  could  procure,  the  population 
was  computed  at  3,000,000.  The  houses  indeed  are  nei- 
mei-  large  nor  numerous ;  but  it  is  common  to  find  three 
generations  with  all  their  wives  and  children  under  one 


256 


CHINA  PROPER. 


roof,  as  they  eat  in  common,  and  one  room  contains  many 
beds.  The  walls  of  this  capital  are  of  considerable  strength 
and  thickness ;  and  the  nine  p:ates  of  no  inelegant  architec- 
ture. Strict  police  and  vigilance  are  observed,  and  the 
streets  are  crowded  with  passengers  and  carriages.  The 
^^randest  edifice  is  tlie  imperial  palace,  which  consists  of 
many  picturesque  buildings,  dispkersed  over  a  wide  and 
greatly  diversified  space  of  ground,  ^o  as  1  j  present  the 
appearance  of  enchantment. 

Nankin,  which  was  the  residence  of  the  court  till  the 
fifteenth  century,  is  a  yet  more  extensive  city  than  Pekin, 
and  is  reputed  the  largest  in  the  empire.  The  walls  are 
said  to  be  abcmt  seventeen  British  miles  in  circumference. 

The  chief  edifices  are  the  gates  with  a  few  temples  ;  and 
a  celebrated  tower  clothed  with  porcelain,  about  200  feet  in 
height,  which  seems  to  have  been  chiefly  erected  as  a  me- 
morial, or  an   ornament,  like   the   Grecian  and  Roman 

columns. 

To  the  American  reader  one  of  the  most  interesting 
cities  is  Canton,  which  is  said  to  contain  a  million  and  a 
half  of  inhabitants ;  numerous  families  residing  in  barks  on 
the  river.  The  chief  export  is  that  of  tea,  of  which  it  is 
said  that  about  13,000,000  of  pounds  weight  are  consumed 
by  Great  Britain  and  her  dependencies,  about  5,000,000 
by  the  rest  of  Europe,  and  above  2,000,000  by  the  United 
States.  The  imports  from  England,  chiefly  woollens,  with 
lead,  tin,  furs,  and  other  articles,  are  supposed  to  exceed  a 
million  ;  and  the  exports  a  million  and  a  half,  besides  the 
trade  between  China  and  their  possessions  in  liindostan. 
Other  nations  carry  to  Canton  the  value  of  about  200,000/. 
and  return  with  articles  to  the  value  of  about  600,000/.  So 
that  the  balance  in  favour  of  China  may  be  computed  at  a 
million  sterling.  . 

The  other  large  cities  of  China  are  almost  innumerable , 
and  many  of  the  villages  are  of  a  surprising  size. 

Edifices.  The  most  striking  and  peculiar  edihces 
in  China  are  the  pagodas  or  towers,  which  sometimes  rise 
to  the  height  of  nine  stories,  of  more  than  twenty  feet  each. 
The  temples,  on  the  contrary,  are  commonly  low  buildings, 
always  open  to  the  devout  worshippers  of  polytheism. 

Wo  *  Ds.  The  roads  are  generally  kept  in  excellent 
ordeiN  with  convenient  bridges.  That  near  the  capital  is 
thus  described  by  Sir  George  Staunton :  "  This  road  toi-ms 


CHINA  PROPER. 


257 


a  magnificent  avenue  to  Pekin  for  persons  and  commodi- 
ties bound  for  that  capital,  from  the  east  and  from  the  south. 
It  is  perfectly  level ;  the  centre,  to  the  width  of  about  20 
feet,  is  paved  with  flags  of  granite,  brought  from  a  consi- 
derable distance,  and  of  a  size  from  six  to  sixteen  feet  in 
length,  and  about  four  feet  broad.  On  each  side  of  this 
granite  pavement  is  a  road  unpaved,  wide  enough  for  car- 
riages to  cross  upon  it.  The  road  was  bordered  in  many 
places  with  trees." 

Inland  Navigation.  The  canals  of  China  have 
long  excited  the  envy  and  wonder  of  other  nations.  The 
imperial  canal  which,  in  utility  and  labour,  exceeds  the 
enormous  wall,  is  said  to  have  been  begun  in  the  tenth 
century  of  the  Christian  era,  30,000  men  having  been  em- 
ployed for  43  years  in  its  completion. 

"  The  ground  which  intervened  between  the  bed  of  this 
artificial  river,  and  that  of  the  Eu-ho,  was  cut  down  to  the 
depth  of  about  30  feet,  in  order  to  permit  the  waters  of  the 
former  to  flow  with  a  gentle  current  into  the  latter.  Their 
descent  is  afterwards  checked  occasionally  by  flood-gates 
thrown  across  the  canal,  wherever  they  were  judged  to  be 
necessary.  They  consist  merely  of  a  few  planks  let  down 
separately  one  upon  another,  by  grooves  cut  into  the  sides 
of  the  two  solid  abutments  or  piers  of  stone,  that  project 
one  from  each  bank,  leaving  a  space  in  the  middle  wide 
enough  to  admit  a  passage  for  the  largest  vessels  employed 
upon  the  canal.  As  few  parts  of  it  are  entirely  level,  the 
use  of  these  flood-gates  assisted  by  others  cut  through  its 
banks,  is  to  regulate  the  quantity  of  water  in  the  canal. 

"  Light  bridges  of  timber  are  thrown  across  those  piers, 
which  are  easily  withdrawn  whenever  vessels  are  about  to 
pass  underneath." 

The  same  authoE  describes  this  canal  as  beginning  at 
Lin-sin-choo,  where  it  joins  the  river  Eu-ho,  and  extending 
to  Han-choo-foo,  in  an  irregular  line  of  about  500  miles. 
Where  it  joins  the  Hoan-ho,  or  Yellow  River,  it  is  about 
three  quarters  of  a  mile  in  breadth. 

Manufactures  and  Commerce.  The  manufac- 
tures of  Clhina  are  so  multifarious  as  to  embrace  almost 
every  article  of  industry.  The  most  noted  manufacture  is 
that  of  porcelain,  and  is  followed  in  trade  bv  those  of  silk, 
cotton,  paper,  &c. 

■  Y3- 


258 


CHINA  PROPER. 


Thp  internal  commerce  of  China  is  immense,  but  the 
external  trade  unimportant,  considering  the  vastness  of  the 
empire  ;  a  scanty  intercourse  exists  with  Russia  and  Japan : 
but  the  chief  export  is  that  cf  tea,  which  is  sent  to  England 
fo  the  value  of  about  one  million  yearly. 

Climate  and  Seasons,  The  European  inter- 
course with  China. being  chiefly  confined  to  the  southern 
part  of  the  empire,  the  climate  is  generally  considered  as 
hot,  whereas  at  Pekin  in  the  north  the  average  degree 
of  the  thermometer  is  under  20°  in  the  night  during  the 
winter  months ;  and  even  in  the  day  it  is  considerably  be- 
low the  freezing  point. 

Face  of  the  Country.  The  face  of  the  country 
is  infinitely  diversified  ;  and  though  in  a  general  view  it  be 
flat  and  fertile,  and  intersected  with  numerous  large  rivers 
and  canals,  yet  there  are  chains  of  mountains  and  other  dis- 
tricts of  a  wild  and  savage  natuie. 

The  soil  is  various,  and  agriculture  by  the  account  of  all 
travellers  is  carried  to  the  utmost  degree  of  perfection. 

*'  Where  the  face  of  the  hill  or  mountain  is  not  nearly 
perpendicular  to  the  level  surface  of  the  earth,  the  slope  is 
converted  into  a  number  of  terraces,  one  above  another, 
each  of  which  is  supported  by  mounds  of  stone.  By  this 
management  it  is  not  uncommon  to  see  the  whole  face  of 
a  mountain  completely  cultivated  to  the  summit.  Pulse, 
grain,  yams,  sweet  potatoes,  onions,  carrots,  turnips,  and 
a  variety  of  other  culinary  plants  are  produced  upon  them. 
A  reservoir  is  sunk  in  the  top  of  the  mountain.  The  rain- 
water collected  in  it  is  conveyed  by  channels  successively 
to  the  diflPerent  terraces,  placed  upon  the  mountain's  sides. 

"  The  collection  of  manure  is  an  object  of  so  much  at- 
tention with  the  Chinese,  that  a  prodigious  number  of  old 
men  and  women,  as  well  as  of  children,  incapable  of  much 
other  labour,  are  constantly  employed  about  the  streets, 
public  roads,  banks  of  canals,  and  rive»-s,  with  baskets  tied 
before  them,  and  holding  in  their  hands  small  wooden  rakes 
to  pick  up  the  dung  of  animals  and  oflals  of  any  kind  that 
may  answer  the  purpose  of  manure  i  but  above  all  others, 
except  the  d\»>g  of  fowls,  the  Chinese  farmers  prefer 
night  soil.     Th^  manure  is  mixed  sparingly  t'/ith  a  por- 

tVu  and  formed  invo  cakes  dried  after* 
tills  state  it  sometimes  becomes  an 


^^¥  i2.it\mf   I 


r\.*x  mjcr    ^MiftX* 


w^rdsin  the  sun. 


CHINA  PROPER.  259 

object  of  commerce,  and  is  sold  to  farmers,  who  never  em- 
ploy  It  m  a  compact  state. 

,  "  T.^e  quantity  of  manure  thus  collected  must  however 
be  still  madequate  to  that  of  the  cultured  ground,  which 
bears  so  vast  a  proportion  to  the  whole  surface  of  the  coun- 
try. It  is  reserved  therefore  in  the  first  instance,  for  the 
purpose  of  procunng  a  quick  succession  of  culinary  ve- 
getables, and  for  forcing  the  production  of  flowers  and 
fruit. 

"  The  great  object  of  Chinese  agriculture,  the  produc- 
tion of  grain,  is  generally  obtained  with  little  manure,  and 
without  lettmg  the  land  lie  fallow.  Irrigation  is  practised 
to  a  very  great  extent.  Th  husbandry  is  singularly  neat, 
and  not  a  weed  is  to  be  seen." 

Rivers.  In  describing  the  rivers  of  this  great  em- 
pire, two  are  well  known  to  deserve  particular  attention, 
namely,  the  Hoan-ho  and  the  Kiart-ku.  The  sources  of  the 
first,  also  called  the  Yellow  River,  from  the  quantity  of  mud 
which  It  devolves,  are  two  lakes,  situated  about  the  Ssth*'  of 
north  latitude,  and  about  97tho  east  from  Greenwich  This 
prodigious  river  is  extremely  winding  and  devious  in  its 
course,  and  discharges  itself  into  the  Yellow  Sea.  Its  com- 
parative course  njay  be  estimated  at  about  1800  British 
miles:  and  its  velocity  equals  seven  or  eight  miles  in  the 
hour. 

The  Kian-ku  rises  in  the  vicinity  of  the  sources  of  the 
Hoan-ho,  and  winds  nearly  as  far  to  the  south  as  the  Hoan- 
ho  does  to  the  north.  After  washing  the  walls  of  Nankin 
It  enters  the  sea  about  100  miles  to  the  south  of  Hoan-ho 
Us  length  is  estimated  at  about  2200  English  miles  These 
two  rivers  may  be  considered  as  the  longest  on  the 'face  of 
the  globe  ;  they  certainly  equal  if  they  do  not  exceed,  the 
tamous  river  of  the  Amazons  in  South  America. 

Lakes.  Nor  is  China  destitute  of  noble  and  ex- 
tensive lakes.  Du  Halde -af  -OS  us  that  the  lakeof  Tone- 
tint-hou,  in  the  provinc.  Oi  iiou-quang,  is  rr  le  ^han  80 
leagues  in  circumference.  That  of  Poyang-hou,  in  the 
province  of  Kiaiig-si,  is  about  30  leagues  in  circumference 
Upon  a  lake  near  the  imperial  canal  were  observed  thou- 
sands of  small  boats  and  rafts,  constructed  for  a  sinc-ular 
- ',  ,  ;•; ' ' '  -;"  ^"^"  ■'^"-'- '"  ^^^t  are  ten  or  a  do- 
zen birus,  which,  at  F  signal  from  the  owner,  plunge  into 
the  water;  and  it  is  astonishing  to  see  the  enormous  size 


260 


CHINA  PROPER. 


of  fish  with  which  they  return  grasped  within  their  bills, 
without  swallowing  any  portion  of  their  prey,  except  what 
the  master  was  pleased  to  return  to  them  for  encourage- 
ment and  food." 

Mountains.  Concerning  the  extensive  ranges  of 
Chinese  mountains;  no  general  and  accurate  information 
has  yet  been  given.  From  Mr.  Arrowsmith's  recent  map 
of  Asia  it  appears  that  a  considerable  branch  extends  from 
those  in  central  Asia,  running  south  to  the  river  Iloan-ho. 
Two  grand  ranges  rumiing  E.  andW.  intersect  the  centre 
of  the  empire,  seemingly  continuations  of  the  enormous 
chains  of  Tibet.  In  the  southern  pai't  of  China  the  princi- 
pal ridges  appear  to  run  from  north  to  south. 

Vegetable  and  Animal  Puoductions.  Among 
the  trees  and  larger  shrubs  we  find  particularized  the 
thuya  orifciitalis,  an  elegant  evergreen  ;  the  camphor  tree, 
whose  wood  m-kes  an  excellent  and  durable  timber, 
and  from  tiie  roots  of  which  that  fragrant  substance 
camphor  is  procured  by  distillation  ;  the  oleander-leaved 
euphorbia,  a  large  shrub  used  as  a  material  for  hedges ; 
the  tallow  tree,  from  the  fruit  of  which  a  green  wax  is 
procured  that  is  manufactured  into  candles ;  the  spreading 
banyan  tree,  growing  among  loose  rocks ;  the  weeping  wil- 
low ;  Spanish  chesnut,  and  the  larch.  Of  the  fruit  trees  the 
following  are  the  principal :  China  orange  ;  the  plantai" 
tree  ;  the  tamarind;  the  white  and  paper  mulberry  tree; 
the  former  of  these  is  principally  cultivated  for  the  use  of 
its  leaves,  on  which  the  silk  worms  are  fed  ;  and  of  the  bark 
of  the  latter,  paper,  and  a  kind  of  cloth  are  made.  Nor 
must  the  two  species  of  the  tea  tree  be  left  unnoticed, 
whose  leaves  constitute  so  large  a  proportion  of  the  Euro- 
pean trade  with  China. 

There  are  few  animals  peculiar  to  the  Chinese  territory. 
Du  Halde  asserts  that  the  lion  is  a  stranger  to  this  country, 
but  there  are  tigers.,  buffaloes,  wild  boars,  bears,  rhino- 
ceroses, cDmels,  detr,  8cc.  The  musk  deer  is  a  singular 
animal  of  China  as  well  as  Tibet.  Among  the  birds  many 
are  remarkable  for  their  beautiful  forms  and  colours,  in 
which  they  are  rivalled  by  a  variety  of  moths  and  butter- 
flies. ,   . 

Minerals.  '  Among  the  metals  lead  and  tin  seem 
to  be  the  rai  est.  China  possesses  mines  of  goid,  siivci,  iron, 
white  copper,  common  copper  and  mercury,  together  with 


CHINA  PROPER. 


261 


lapis  lazuli,  jasper,  rock  crystal,  load-stone,  granite,  por- 
phyry, and  various  marbles. 

In  many  of  the  northern  provinces  coal  is  found  in  abun- 
dance. The  common  people  generally  use  it  pounded  with 
water,  and  dried  in  the  form  of  cakes* 

Pekin  is  supplied  from  high  mountains  in  the  vicinity, 
and  the  mines  seem  inexhaustible,  though  the  coal  be  in 
general  use. 

Tutenag,  which  is  a  native  mixture  of  zinc  and  iron, 
seems  to  be  a  peculiar  product  of  China,  and  in  the  pro- 
vince of  Houquang  there  was  a  mine  which  yielded  many 
hundred  weight  in  the  course  of  a  few  days. 


CHINESE  ISLANDS. 


Numerous  isles  are  scattered  along  the  southern  and 
eastern  coast  of  China,  the  largest  being  those  of  Taiv»^an, 
also  called  Formosa,  and  that  of  Hainan.  Formosa  is  a  re- 
cent acquisition  of  the  Chinese  in  the  latter  end  of  the 
seventeenth  century ;  the  natives  being,  by  the  Chinese  ac- 
counts, little  better  than  savages. 

The  southern  part  of  Hainan  is  mountainous,  but  the 
northern  more  level  and  productive  of  rice.  In  the  centre 
there  are  mines  of  gold;  and  on  the  shores  are  found  sm^ll 
blue  fishes,  which  the  Chinese  esteem  raore  than  those 
which  we  call  gold  and  silver  fish. 

The  isles  of  Leoo-keoo,  between  Formosa  and  Japan, 
constitute  a  little  civilized  kingdom  tributary  to  China. 
These  isles  were  discovered  by  the  Chinese  in  the  seventh 
century  ;  but  it  was  not  till  the  fourteenth  that  they  became 
tributary  to  China. 


CHINESE  TATARY. 


I 


I 


THIS  extensive  region  might  more  properly  be  called 
Mongolia,  as  the  greater  number  of  tribes  are  Monguls ; 
or  the  western  part  might  be  styled  Tatary,  the  middle 
Mongolia,  and  the  eastern  Mandshuria.  The  two  latter 
are  the  objects  of  the  present  description  ;  as  that  of  Inde- 
pendent Tatary  will  be  found  after  the  account  of  Persia 
with  which  it  has  (as  now  limited)  in  all  ages  been  cpn- 
nccted. 

Extent.  This  wide  and  interesting  portion  of 
Asia,  which  has  repeatedly  sent  forth  its  swarms  to  deluge 
the  arts  and  civilization  ofEurope,  extends  from  the  rad" 
of  longitude  east  from  Greenwich  to  the  145th°,a  space  of 
not  less  than  rs*'  of  longitude,  which  at  the  medial  latitude 
of  45^,  will  yield  about  3100  geographical  miles.  The 
breadth  from  the  northern  frontier  of  Tibet  to  the  Russian 
confines  is  about  18^,  or  1080  geographical  miles, 

Originai.  Population.  The  original  population 
of  this  part  of  Asia  appears  to  have  been  indigenal,  so  far 
as  the  most  ancient  records  extend.  Part  of  the  west  was 
held  by  the  Scythae  of  antiquity,  seemingly  a  (jothic  race, 
who  were  subdued  or  expelled  by  the  Tatars  or  Huns  from 
the  east,  pressed  on  the  other  side  by  the  Mcnguls.  Bc;yond 
the  latter  were  the  Mandshurs,  who,  though  inferior  to  the 
Monguls  in  power,  yet  retained  their  ancient  possessions, 
and  in  the  seventeenth  century  conquered  China. 

Historical  Epochs.  The  chief  historical  epochs 
of  the  region  we  now  contemplate  may  perhaps  be  more 
certainly  traced  in  the  Chinese  annals,  than  in  any  other 
documents.  The  first  appearance  of  the  Huns  or  Tatars. 
may  he  observed  in  the  pat"es  of  Roman  history.  The 
annals  of  the  Monguls,  the  most  important  nation,  faintly 


CHINESE  TATARY. 


268 


illuminate  tlie  pages  of  Abulgasi,  whence  it  would  appear 
that  prior  to  Zingis  there  was  only  one  celebrated  chan 
named  Oguz,  who  seems  to  have  flourished  about  the  1 30th 
year  of  the  Christian  aera.  The  reigns  of  Zingis  and  Ti- 
mur  are  sufficiently  known  in  general  history ;  but  the  di- 
visions of  their  conquests,  and  the  dissentions  of  their  suc- 
cessors, have  now  almost  annihilated  the  power  of  the 
Monguls,  atKlthe  terror  of  their  arms. 

Religion.  The  religion  most  universally  diffused 
m  this  part  of  Asia  is  what  has  been  called  Shamanism,  or 
the  belief  in  a  supreme  author  of  nature,  who  governs  the 
universe  by  the  agency  of  numerous  inferior  spirits  of  ^reat 
power.  ° 

Government.  The  government  at  present  is 

conducted  by  princes  who  pay  homage  to  the  Chinese  em- 
pire, and  receive  Chinese  titles  of  honour ;  but  many  of  the 
ancient  forms  are  yet  retained.  Though  writing  be  not 
unknown  among  the  Monguls,  yet  the  laws  appear  to  be 
chiefly  traditional. 

Population.-  Of  the  population  of  these  regions 
It  is  difficult  to  form  any  precise  ideas  ;  but  perhaps  it  does 
not  exceed  six  millions. 

Divisions.  The  country  of  the  Mandshurs  is  by 
the  Chinese  divided  into  three  great  governments.  1. 
That  of  Chinyang:  the  chief  town  is  Chinyang,  still  a  con- 
siderable place,  with  a  mausoleum  of  Kunchi,  regarded  as 
the  conqueror  of  China,  and  the  founder  of  the  reigning 
family.  2.  The  government  of  Kiren-Oula,  which  ex- 
tends far  to  the  N.  E.  Kirem  the  capital  stands  on  the 
river  Songari,  and  was  the  residence  of  the  Mandshur  ge- 
neral who  acted  as  viceroy.  3.  The  government  of  Tsit- 
chicar,  so  called  from  a  town  recently  founded  on  the  Nonni 
Oula  where  a  Chinese  gaiTison  is  stationed. 

In  this  division  may  also  be  mentioned  Corea,  which 
has  for  many  centuries  acknowledged  the  authority  of 
China,  and  which  boasts  a  considerable  population. 

To  the  west  are  various  tribes  of  Monguls,  whose  coun- 
try may  be  considered  under  three  divisions.  1.  That 
part  called  Gete  which  some  regard  as  the  country  of  the 
ancient  Massageta.  2.  Little  Bucharia,  so  called  to  dis- 
tinguish it  from  the  Greater  Bucharia ;  the  people  of  Little 
Bucharia  are  an  industrious  race  of  a  distinct  nricln.  wV"^ 
are  little  mingled  with  their  Kalmuk  or  Mougul  lords.    3^. 


'Mm 


264 


CHINESE  TATARY. 


The  countries  of  Turfan  to  the  north  of  the  lake  called 
Lok  Nor,  and  that  of  Chamil  or  llami  to  the  east,  regions 
little  known,  and  surrounded  with  wide  deserts. 

Army.  A  numerous  horde  of  barbarians,  unskil- 
\ed  in  modern  tactics. 

Manners  and  Customs,  Language  and  Litera- 
ture.        The  manners  and  customs,  language  and  lite- 
rature of  the  Mongulshave  been  already  briefly  described 
/in  the  account  of  Asiatic  Russia. 

Cities  and  Towns.  This  extensive  portion  of 
Asia  contains  several  cities  and  towns,  generally  construct- 
ed of  wood,  and  of  little  antiquity  or  duration.  They  are 
mostly  inconsiderable,  and  too  uninteresting  to  an  Ameri- 
can reader  to  be  enumerated. 

Trade.  The  principal  trade  of  the  Mandshur 
country  consists  in  ginseng  and  pearls,  found  in  many 
rivers  which  fall  into  the  Amur.  Excellent  horses  may  also 
be  classed  among  the  exports.  Cashgar  was  formerly  ce- 
lebrated for  musk  and  gold.  Corea  also  produces  gold, 
silver,  iron,  beautiful  yellow  varnish,  and  white  paper, 
einseng,  with  small  horses  about  three  feet  high,  fur&.  and 
fossil  salt.  The  other  towns  are  rather  stations  for  mer- 
chants than  seats  of  commerce. 

Climate,  &c.  Though  the  parallel  of  central  Asia 
correspond  with  that  of  France,  and  part  of  Spain,  yet 
the  heights  and  snows  of  the  mountainous  ridges  occa- 
sion a  degree  and  continuance  of  cold  little  to  be  expected 
from  other  circumstances.  . 

Face  of  the  Country.  The  appearance  of  this 
extensive  region  is  diversified  with  all  the  grand  features 
of  nature,  extensive  chains  of  mountains,  larvae  rivers,  and 
lakes.  But  the  most  singular  feature  is  that  vast  elevated 
plain,  supported  like  a  table,  by  surrounding  mountains, 
This  prodigious  plain,  the  most  elevated  continuous  region 
on  the  globe,  is  intersected  by  some  chains  of  mountains, 
and  by  the  vast  desert  of  Cobi  or  Shamo.  Destitute  of 
plants  and  water,  it  is  dangerous  for  horses,  but  is  safely 
passed  with  camels.  This  desert  extends  from  about  the 
80th°  of  E.  longitude  from  Greenwich  to  about  the  1 10th  , 
being  30«  of  longitude,  which  in  the  latitude  of  40o,may  be 
'  1380  geographical  miles. 

Agriculture.        Among  the  southern  Mandshurs, 
and  tiie  people  of  i^.ittle  Bucharia,  agriculture  is  not  WnO-.y 


CHINESE  TATAKY.  263 

neglected,  nor  is  wheat  an  unknown  harvest.  The  ^oil  nf 
soextensn-e  a  portion  of  the  earth  nuiy  Le  unposed'^  be 
mhmtely  va     .us ;  but  the  predominating;  suSc:';^  bhl^ 

i)erva^ie7pnr;„i  a  '^^V'^  "'^  "^^"'^  considerable  rivers  that 

tLosJoSkish  ^.Tt  "^  '•'"  '''^"  ^'''  of  8'-eat  extent,  a. 

Holm  Nor,  o,'  he  burc  hke  will         "''' ''''  ''™"  """'='' 
of  the  Monguir  '  '  -""  '"""'  '»  »  '"be 

Animals.         The  7nnlno-,r  ,xf  *i  •        ., 

»i>h  long  sharp  eafs'^ """"''  '^°'°"^'  "»<•  ="■"". 
becnlfcpi:;,d.   '"''  ""--K-y  of  central  Asia  has 


ISLAND  OF  SACJALIAN,  OR  TCHOKA. 

Till  this  larne  island  was  pvpipr„,i  u,.  ,. 
OMigator  La  Ferouse  it  ^.^=7  ,  ,  ^^  "he  uniorlunate 

•      Vol.  1.  '        2   """"  '"  '''  '"">'  "  ^""l' 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
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WEBSTER,  NY.  14S80 

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266 


CHINESE  TATARY, 


isle  at  the  mouth  of  the  Amur.  It  is  now  found  to  extend 
from  the  46tho  of  latitude  to  the  54th<*,  or  not  less  than 
480  geographical  miles  in  length,  by  about  80  of  medial 
breadth,  and  is  the  most  important  portion  of  that  naviga- 
tor's voyage.  The  natives  seem  to  approach  to  the 
Tataric  form ;  their  dress  is  a  loose  robe  of  skins,  or  quilt- 
ed nankeen,  with  a  girdle.  Their  huts,  or  cabins,  are  of 
timber,  thatched  with  grass,  with  a  fireplace  in  the  centre. 
The  people  are  highly  praised  by  La  Perouse  as  a  mild 
and  intelligent  race. 


TIBET. 


.  THE  name  of  lUbet,  which  is  probably  Hindoo  or  Per- 

S  '/  "Vl"®  T"*'*y  ^^'^**"'  ^"^  ^"  ^^"Sal,  pronounced 
y/dder  or  716;.  But  the  native  appellation  is  /»«>'  or  Fug 
irc^cA.;n,  said  to  be  derived  from  Pue%  signifying  northern, 
and  Joachim,  snow,  that  is  the  snowy  region  of  the  north 

Tiu^^^V^^Ir  A*^<^or**ing  to  the  most  recent  maps, 
libet  extends  from  about  the  rsth  to  the  101st  degree  of 
longitude,  which  m  the  latitude  of  30«  may  be  about  1350 
geographical  miles.  The  breadth  may  be  regarded  as  ex- 
tending from  the  27th  to  the  35th  degree  of  latitude,  or 
nbout  480  geographical  miles.  The  original  population  has 
not  been  accurately  examined  ;  but  it  may  perhaps  be  con- 
eluded  that  they  are  derived  from  the  Bootanesc,  a  race  of 
men  which  approaches  the  Tataric,  though  they  cannot  be 
regarded  as  iMandshurs,  Monguls,  or  Tatars  proper 

Provinces  Tibet  is  divided  into  three  parts,  Up- 
per, Middle,  and  Lower.  Upper  Tibet  chiefly  comprises 
the  province  of  Nagari,  fall  of  horrible  rocks,  and  moun- 
tains  covered  with  eternal  snow.  Middle  Tibet  contains 
the  provinces  of  Shang,  Ou,  and  Kiang :  while  the  pro- 
vinces of  Lower  Tibet  are  Takbo,  Congbo,  and  Kahang. 

10  these  must  be  added  the  wide  region  of  Amdoa,  if 
It  be  not  the  same  with  Kahang,  but  it  seems  more  proba- 
bly  to  embrace  the  confines  towards  China,  as  the  native* 
S  ^^^^l^^^^y  ingenious,  and  speak  the  Chinese  language, 
ihe  N.  E.part  was,  with  the  Chinese  province  of  Shensi, 
IK  i^?.  &^^^t  wall  was  exten(|ed  in  this  quaiter,  the  ce- 
lebrated  1  angut  of  oriental  history  and  geoj^raphy.  On 
the  vvestdrn  side,  high  mountains,  covered  with  perpetual 
snow,  and  with  all  the  terrible  avalanches,  and  other  fea- 
tares  oi  the  Swiss  Alps,  have  in  all  ages  prevented  the  Per- 


26» 


TIBET. 


sians  and  the  conquerors  of  Bucharia  from  invading  this 
country,  and  have  also  prevented  travellers  from  penetrat- 
ing into  that  quarter  of  the  globe. 

About  ir  15  the  emperor  of  China  being  desirous  toob- 
tain  a  map  of  Tibet,  two  Lamas  were  sent  who  had  studied 
geometry  in  a  mathematical  academy.  These  lamas  drew 
a  map  from  Sining,  in  the  province  of  Shensi,  to  the 
sources  of  the  Ganges;  which  was  afterwards  examined 
by  the  Jesuits,  and  improved  by  them,  so  far  as  their  ma- 
terials would  admit. 

But  the  geography  of  Asia  cannot  be  said  to  be  complete 
till  we  have  new  and  correct  maps  of  the  central  parts, 
particularly  of  Tibet,  which  may  be  called  tlie  heart  of 
Asia.  1  he  sources  of  the  Ganges  and  Indus,  the  Sampoo, 
and  all  the  prodigious  and  fertile  streams  of  exterior  India, 
and  of  China,  belong  to  this  mteresting  region. 

,  Religion.  The  religion  of  Tibet  seems  to  be  the 
schismatical  oiisprlng  of  that  of  the  Hindoos.  It  bears 
a  very  close  affinity  with  the  religion  of  Brahma  in  many 
important  particulars,  but  differs  materially  in  its  ritual,  or 
ceremonial  worship.  1  ibetans  assemble  in  chapels,  and 
unite  togetl-Jfcr  in  prodigious  numbers  to  perform  their  re- 
ligious service,  which  they  chaunt  in  alternate  recitative 
and  chorus,  accompanied  by  an  extensive  band  of  loud 
and  powerful  instruments. 

Government.  The  ruling  government  is  th« 
spiritual,  though  the  lama  was  accustomed  to  appoint  a 
f//ia,  or  secular  regent,  a  right  which  has  probably  passed 
to  the  Chinese  emperor.  The  laws  must,  like  the  relii^ion, 
bear  some  affinity  to  that  of  the  Hindoos. 

Population.  No  estimate  of  the  population  of 
Tibet  seems  to  have  been  attempted  ;  but  as  the  country 
may  be  said  to  be  wholly  mountainous,  and  the  climate 
excessively  cold,  even  under  the  2rth  degree  of  latitude, 
(the  influence  of  mountains  being  far  superior  to  that, of 
imaginary  zones,)  the  people  are  thinly  scattered,  and  the 
number  of  males  far  exceeds  that  of  females,  and  of  course 
the  latter  are  indulged  in  a  plurality  of  husbands.  There  is 
every  reason  to  suppose  the  population  is  inconsiderable. 

Revenues.  The  revenues  of  the  lama,  and  of  the 
secular  princes,  seem  to  be  trifling;  nor  can  Tibet  ever  as- 
pire to  anj  political  importance.  In  a  commercial  point  of 
view,  friendship  and  free  intercourse  with  Tibet  might 


TIBET. 


369 


open  new  advantages  to  the  British  settlements  in  Bengal: 

hv  M.  h'  ?-"'^"  '^P^^^^^  ^"^°y«  *°  t^^  '^"^a  w«^re  sent 
il„  J*  "f^^'^S^'  a  governor  who  possessed  the  most  en- 
arged  and  enhghtened  mind,  and  an  active  attention  to  the 
interests  of  his  country. 

r.nf.^"fl''''^^t^'  ^*'-  ^^-  '^'"'•"e''  represents  the  cha- 
racter  of  the  Tibetans  as  extremely  genlJe  and  amiable. 
1  he  men  are  generally  stout,  with  something  of  the  Tata- 

hei^Men'?.-?^  '^u   T^'"  °f  «ruddy  brown  complexion, 
heightened  like  the  fruits  by  the  proximity  of  the  sun, 
while  the  mountain  breezes  bestow  health  and  vigour, 
int.:.  .   •'''''rT°"'*'5,^^"™^''"^Se  are  neither  tedious  nor 

imle  ar  ,  and  quickly  brought  to  a  conclusion.  'J'he  priests 
ot  Tibet,  who  shun  the  society  of  women,  have  no  share  in 

hrL'',M'''''*'"l'^''K°'-  "'  "^''^'y"^^  '^'^  obligation  between 
the  parties,  which,  it  seems,  is  formed  indissolubly  for 

Such  is  the  respect  paid  to  the  lamn,  that  his  body  is 
preserved  entire  in  a  shrine;  while  those  of  the  inferior 
puesls  are  burnt,  and  their  ashes  preserved  in  little  hollow 
images  of  metal.  But  in  general  the  dead  bodies  are  ex- 
posed  to  the  beasts  and  birds  of  prey,  in  walled  areas;  and 

of  t^deld  ''  ''  '  '' '"  ^""^'^  ""^^  ^^'"^^  ''^  ^°"°"^ 
hnv  ^^''*'^J'^^=-  The  origins  of  the  Tibetan  speech 
cirnvorH'"  I^:°P^^^y  "^'^stigated.  The  literature  is 
chiefly  of  the  religious  kind,  the  books  being  sometimes 
pnnted  wuh  blocks  of  wood,  on  narrow  slips  o^f  thTpa^er 
iabncated  from  the  fibrous  root  of  a  small  shrub.  In  ?hi8 
practice  they  resemble  the  Chinese ;  while  the  Hindoos 

l^Z^Vlr'  T^'  ^'^^  "  ''^'^  ''y^^^'  "PO"  the  iecem 
eaves  of  the  palmyra  tree,(borassusflabelliformis,)  afford- 
inga  fibrous  substance,  which  seems  indestructible  by  ver- 
min. 1  he  writing  runs  from  the  left  to  the  right,  as  in  the 
languages  of  Europe.  ^    ' 

Tih  m'/^.I^ •  ^''''  '^ '''^'''-        ^^  t^^  cities  and  towns  of 
Tibet  little  IS  known.    The  capital  is  Lassa. 

citv  \nuTf  ''  situated  in  a  spacious  plain,  being  a  small 
city,  but  the  houses  are  of  stone,  and  are  spacious  and  lofty 
i  he  noted  mountain  of  Putela,  on  which  stands  the  palace 
01  the  Lama,  is  about  seven  miles  to  the  east  of  the  city 

Z2    .  .  /•'    . 


:j7o 


TIBET. 


Edifices.  Among  the  edifices,  the  monasteries 
may  be  first  mentioned.  Mr.  Turner  describes  that  of 
Teshoo  Loomboo,  as  containing  three  or  four  hundred 
houses,  inhabited  by  monks,  besides  temples,  mausoleums, 
and  the  palace  of  the  sovereign  pontiff'.  The  buildings  are 
all  of  stone,  none  less  than  two  stories  in  height,  with  flat 
roofs,  and  parapets  composed  of  heath  and  brushwood. 
Some  of  the  palaces  and  fortresses  are  described  and  deli- 
neated by  Mr.  Turner;  and  the  architecture  seems  re- 
spfctable.  The  roads  amidst  the  rocky  mountains- resem- 
ble those  of  Swisserland,  and  arc  particularly  dangerous 
after  rain. 

Manufactures,  8cc.  The  chief  manufactures  of 
Tibet  seem  to  be  shawls,  and  some  woollen  cloths;  but 
there  is  a  general  want  of  industry  ;  and  the  fine  undermost 
ha-rofthe  goats,  from  which  shawls  are  manufactured,  is 
chiefly  sent  to  Caslimir.  The  principal  exports  are  to 
China,  consisting  of  gold  dust,  diamonds,  pearh,  lamb 
bkins,  some  musk,  and  woollen  cloths.  Many  of  the  Chi- 
nese imports  are  manufactured  articles.  To  Nipal,  Tibet 
sends  rock  salt,  tincal,  or  crude  borax,  and  gold  dust ;  re- 
ceiving in  return  base  silver  coin,  copper,  rice,  and  coarse 
cotton  cloths.  Tlirough  Nipal  is  also  carried  on  the  chief 
trade  with  IJengal,  in  gold  dust,  tincal,  and  musk.  'I'he 
returns  are  broad  cloth,  spices,  trinkets,  eme^alfls,  sap- 
phires, lazulite,  jet,  amber,  &c.  '    *  ' 

Climate.  *'  In  the  temperature  of  the  seasons  in 
Tibet  a  remarkable  uniformity  prevails,  as  well  as  in  their 
periodical  duration  and  return.  The  spring  is  marked, 
from  March  to  May,  by  a  variable  atmosphere ;  by  heat, 
thunder  storms,  and  occasionally  with  refreshing  showers. 
From  June  to  September  is  the  season  of  humidity,  when 
heavy  and  continued  rains  fill  the  rivers  to  their  brim,  which 
run  off  from  hence  with  rapidity  to  assist  in  inundating 
Bengal.  From  October  to  March  a  clear  and  uniform  sky 
succeeds,  seldom  obscured  either  by  fogs  or  clouds.  For 
three  months  of  this  season  a  degree  of  cold  is  felt,  far 
greater  perhaps  than  is  known  to  prevail  in  Europe." 

Soil  and  Cultivation.  From  the  same  intel- 
ligent traveller  we  learn  that  Bootan,  with  all  its  confused 
and  shapeless  mountains,  is  covered  with  eternal  verdure, 
and  abounds  in  forests  of  large  and  lofty  trees.  The  sides 
of  the  mountains  are  improved  by  the  hand  of  industry, 


TJBET. 


271 


jud  crowned  with  orchards,  fields,  and   villaR-es     Tibef 
Proper,  on  the  contrary,  exhibits  only  ]o^^rockv   h n U 
vv.thout  any  visible  vegetation,  or  extens  ve  Lrid  thin    oJ" 
an  aspect  equally  stern.     Yet  Tibet  produLs  .real Tun 

trive  soniTP  to  f^k«r-  ^^  "*">   niountains  that 

d  rectZ   ?h     ^^f,^^"Ses,  proceeds  first  in  an  E.  and  S  F 
(lirtction  ;  then  ,t  bends  S.  VV.  and  flows  into  the  estuarv 

miles!     ^"^'''  ''^'''  '  farther  course  of  about  400  b!S 
Many  other  considerable  rivers  are  believed  tn  r\..; 

Lakes.         These  Alpine  regions  contain,  as  usual, 

nostconmilor.iKlr.  K^:„ .  *' 


man,  lakes  .he  -st  con;iS;y;S;  r:;™:;^^,^ 

'sot'";  1^".?ii.^:i'.»" J";-  -!  !-'.^">.  -d 


the  name  of 

»  broad.     sVg^ea;  rrh^s^  "i  '^  o?"  fc'  iJT/'  '"" 

UinstvraLra^ee:'^yare'J;T»l^^^^^^^^ 
.sno^accurategeographicarde,i„ei.io„'Xh:t'co^lf::5 

S.  asTthe  AlnraL'th^"  """^'  '^'•™^'>"  «'''™''  N.  and 
but  with  iLi"^'  "'    """'•'^  """y  P^'bm  be  traced, 

attof  the'^roWn^r'  '"  ""  general  map  oVfibet,  ami 

able  t^'"^^^-   ,  ■  '"  ?°°""»  ^™  "'W  animals  are  observ- 
ub  uescriptions.    The  horses  arc  of  a  small  siz^.  i,.„ 


%72 


TIBET. 


spirited.  The  cattle  are  also  diminutive.  The  flocks  of 
sheep  are  numerous,  commonly  small,  with  black  heads 
and  legs;  the  wool  soft,  and  the  mutton  excellent.  It  is 
a  peculiarity  of  the  country  that  the  latter  food  is  generally 
eaten  raw.  When  dried  in  the  frosty  air  it  is  not  disagree- 
able in  this  state,  to  an  European  palate. 

The  goats  are  numerous  and  celebrated  for  producing  a 
fine  hair,  which  is  manufactured  into  shawls,  and  which 
lies  beneath  the  exterior  coarse  coat.  Nor  must  the  singu- 
lar breed  of  cattle  be, forgotten,  called  Yak  by  the  Tatars, 
covered  with  thick  long  hair ;  the  tail  beinr^  peculiarly 
flowing  and  glossy,  and  an  article  of  luxury  in  the  east, 
where  it  is  used  to  drive  away  the  flies,  and  sometimes 
dried  for  ornaments. 

The  musk  deer  delights  in  intense  cold.  The  musk, 
which  is  only  found  in  the  male,  is  formed  in  a  little  tu- 
mour at  the  navel;  and  is  the  genuine  and  authentic  article 
so  styled,  being  commonly  black,  and  divided  by  thin 
cuticles. 

Minerals.  The  mineralogy  is  best  known  from 
the  account  appended  to  Mr.  Turner's  Journey  in  1783, 
from  which  it  appears  that  Bootan  does  not  probably  con- 
tain any  metal  except  iron,  and  a  small  portion  of  copper ; 
while  Tibet  Proper,  on  the  contrary,  seems  to  abound  witli 
rich  minerals.  Gold  is  found  in  great  quantities,  some- 
times in  the  form  of  dust,  in  the  beds  of  rivers,  sometimes 
in  large  masses  and  irregular  veins.  There  is  a  lead  mine, 
two  days  journey  from  Teshoo  Lumboo.  Cinnabar,  rich  in 
quicksilver,  is  also  found ;  and  there  are  strong  indications 
of  copper. 

The  most  peculiar  product  of  Tibet  is  tincal,  or  crude 
borax,  found  in  a  lake  about  fifteen  days  journey  from 
Teshoo  Lumboo.  The  tincal  is  deposited  or  formed  in  the 
bed  of  the  lake ;  and  those  who  go  to  collect  it  dig  it  up  in 
large  masses,  which  they  afterwards  break  into  small 
pieces  for  the  convenience  of  carriage,  exposing  it  to  the 
air  to  dry.  It  is  used  in  Tibet  for  soldering,  and  to  pro- 
mote the  fusion  of  gold  and  silver.  Rock  salt  is  universally 
used  for  all  domestic  purposes  in  Tibet,  Bootan  and  Kipal 


JAPAN. 


THE  kingdom,  or,  as  it  is  by  some  styled,  the  empirfc 
ot  Japan,  has,  by  most  geographers,  been  classed  among 
the  Asiatic  isles,  and  may  in  some  measure  be  compared 
with  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  forming  a  grand  insular 
power  near  the  eastern  extremity  of  Asia,  like  that  of  the 
iintisJi  isles  near  the  western  extremity  of  Europe 

Marco  Polo,  the  father  of  modern  Asiatic  geography, 
mentions  Japan  by  the  name  of  Zipangri  or  Zipangu.  The 
inhabitants  themselves  call  it  Nipon  or  Nifon,  and  the 
*^ninese  bippon  and  Jepuen. 

.t,    J^^Jf^'^'      .  '^^'^  empire  extends  from  the  30th  to 
the 4 1st  degree  of  N.  latitude;  and  according  to  the  most 
lecent  maps,  from  the  131st  to  the  142d  degree  of  E  lon- 
gitude from  Greenwich.  We  shall  pass  over  many  smaller 
isles,  as  by  far  the  most  important  is  that  of  Nipon      The 
grand  isle  of  Nipon  is  in  length  from  S.  W.  to  N.  E.  not  less 
han  750  British  miles  ;  but  is  so  narrow  in  proportion, 
that  the  medial  breadth    cannot  be  assumed   above  80 
though  m  two  projecting  parts  it  may  double  that  number 
ihese  islands  are  divided  into  provinces  and  districts,  as 
usual  in  the  most  civilized  countries. 
nJ?-*u^  N.  of  Nipon  is  another  large  isle,  that  of  Jesso, 
or  Lhicha,  which  having  received  some  Japanese  colonies, 
IS  generally  regarded  as  suliject  to  Japan ;  but  being  inha- 
Dited  by  a  savage  people,  is  rather  considered  as  a  foreign 
conquest  than  as  a  part  of  this  civilized  empire. 
K«    ^.^'<^^NAL  Population.        The  Japanese  seem  to 
^e  a  kmdred  race  with  the  Chinese,  though,  according  to 
^aempter,  the  languages  be  radically  distinct.    But  if  com- 


274 


JAPAN. 


pared  with  that  of  Corea,  the  nearest  land,  and  the  latter 
vrith  the  Chinese,  perhaps  a  gradation  might  be  observable. 

Historical  Lpochs.  The  history  of  their  own 
country  is  universally  studied  by  the  Japanese;  and  Kxmp- 
fer  has  produced  an  elaborate  abstract,  divided  into  three 
epochs,  the  fabulous,  the  doubtful,  and  the  certain.  Pass- 
ing by  the  two  first,  \ire  shall  take  notice  of  the  last  period. 
The  third,  or  certain  period,  begins  with  the  hereditary 
succession  of  the  ecclesiastical  emperors,  styled  Dire,  from 
the  year  660  before  the  Christian  era,  to  the  year  of 
Christ,  1 585,  during  which  107  princes  of  the  same  lineage 
governed  Japan.  At  the  last  period  the  secular  princes 
assumed  the  supreme  authority.  In  general  the  reigns  are 
pacific;  though  at  very  distant  intervals  the  Mandshurs  and 
Cureans  occasionally  invaded  Japan,  but  were  always  de- 
feated by  the  valour  of  the  inhabitants.  In  1385  the  ge- 
'nemls  of  the  crown,  or  secular  emperors,  who  were  also 
ihereditary,  assumed  the  supreme  power;  the  Dairis being 
Afterwards  confined,  and  strictly  guarded,  that  they  might 
not  reassume  their  ancient  authority. 

Antiquities.  The  Europeans  have  not  explored 
this  country  enough  to  be  acquainted  with  its  antiquities, 
jf  it  really  possesses  any  worthy  of  notice. 

Religion.  The  established  religion  of  Japan  is  a 
•polytheism,  joined  with  the  acknowledgment  of  a  supreme 
creator.  There  are  two  principal  sects,  that  of  Sinto  and 
that  of  Budsdo.  The  first  acknowledge  a  supreme  being, 
far  superior  to  the  little  claims  and  worship  ot"  man,  whence 
they  adore  the  inferior  deities  as  mediators,  the  idea  of  a 
mediator  being  interwoven  in  almost  every  form  of  reli- 
gion. They  abstain  from  animal  food,  detest  bloodshed,  and 
will  not  touch  any  dead  body. 

The  priests  are  either  secular  \»r  monastic  ;  the  latter 
alone  being  entrusted  with  the  mysteries.  The  festivals 
and  modes  of  worship  are  cheerful,  and  even  gay  ;  for  they 
regard  the  gods  as  beings  who  solely  dt^light  in  dispensing 
happiness.  Besides  the  first  day  of  the  year,  and  the  three 
or  four  other  grand  festivals,  the  first  day  of  the  month  .s 
always  kept  as  a  holiday.  There  are  several  orders  of 
monks  and  nuns,  as  in  the  Roman  Catholic  system. 

They  believe  in  the  metempsychosis  or  transmigration 
of  souls,  the  wicked  being  supposed  to  migrate  into  the 
bodies  ofanimajs,  till  they  have  undergone  a  due  purgation. 


JAPAN. 


275 


Soon  after  the  discovery  of  this  country  by  the  Porta- 
guese,  Jesuitic  missionaries  arrived  in  1549 ;  and  their  suc- 
cessors continued  to  diffuse  their  doctrine  till  1638,  when 
37,000  Christians  were  massacred.  Not  contented  with 
their  station,  that  intriguing  order  endeavoured  to  intro- 
duce themselves  into  the  governing  councils  of  the  nation 
Smce  that  memorable  epoch  Christianity  has  been  held  in 
supreme  detestation  ;  and  the  cross,  with  its  other  symbols, 
are  annually  trampled  under  foot;  but  it  is  a  fable  that  the 
Dutch  are  couEtrained  to  join  in  this  ceremony. 

Government.  The  Kubo,  or  secular  emperor,  is 
now  hereditary  and  sole  monarch  of  the  country.  Yet  oc- 
casionally his  authority  has  been  controverted  ;  and  Japan 
has  been  ravaged  by  many  civil  wars.  The  ecclesiastical 
dignities  were  of  six  orders,  some  belonging  to  particular 
offices,  others  merely  honorary.  The  secular  prince  is 
accustomed  to  confer,  with  the  consent  of  the  dairi,  two 
honorary  ranks,  equivalent  to  our  noblemen  and  knights 
The  ecclesiastical  court  is  chiefly  occupied  with  literary 
pursuits,  the  dairi  residing  at  Miaco ;  and  his  court  remains 
though  not  in  its  former  splendour. 

The  government  of  each  province  is  intrusted  to  a  resi- 
dent prince,  who  is  strictly  responsible  for  his  administra- 
tion, his  family  remaining  at  the  emperor's  court  as  hos- 
tages ;  and  he  is  himself  obliged  to  make  an  annual  appear- 
ance, the  journey  being  performed  with  great  pomp,  and 
accompanied  with  valuable  presents.  The  emperor,  as  in 
the  feudal  times  of  Europe,  derives  his  chief  re  venue  from 
his  own  estate,  consisting  of  five  inferior  provinces,  and 
soine  detached  towns.  Each  Prince  enjoys  the  revenues 
ot  his  fief  or  government,  with  which  he  supports  his 
court  and  military  force,  repairs  the  roads  and  defrays 
every  civil  expense.  ' 

The  superiority  of  the  laws  of  Japan  over  those  of 
i-urope,  has  been  loudly  proclaimed  by  Kxmpfer.  The 
parties  themselves  appear,  and  the  case  is  determined  with- 
out delay.  Thunberg  informs  us  that  the  laws  are  few, 
Dut  rigidly  enforced,  without  regard  to  persons,  partiality, 
or  violence.  Most  crimes  are  punished  with  death  ;  but 
wie  sentence  must  be  signed  by  the  privy  council  at  Jedo. 
rarents  and  relations  are  made  answerable  for  the  crimes 
\LaI  ^*^°*^  ^^^^^  education  they  ought  to  have  super- 
mtended.     The  police  is  excellent,  there  not  only  being  a 


376 


JAPAN. 


chief  maj^istratc  of  each  town,  but  a  coimnissary  of  each 
•ti'cet,  elected  by  the  inhabitants  to  walch  over  property 
and  tranquilhty.  Two  inhabitants  in  tlieir  turn  nightly 
patrole  the  street  to  guard  against  fire. 

The  best  proof  that  the  laws  aro  salutary  is  that  few 
crimes  are  committed,  and  few  punishments  are  inflicted. 
The  brief  code,  according  to  Thunberg,  is  posted  up  in 
every  town  and  village,  in  large  letters,  on  a  spot  sur- 
rounded with  rails. 

Population.  All  travellers  agree  that  the  popu- 
lation is  surprising,  although  a  great  part  of  the  couiUry 
be  mountainous.  'I'hunberg  observes  that  the  capital  Jedo, 
is  said  to  be  63  British  miles  in  circumference,  and  at  any 
rate  rivals  Pckin  in  size.  Kacmpfer  says  that  the  number 
of  people  daily  travelling  on  the  highways  is  inconceiva- 
ble, and  the  tokauhy  the  chief  of  the  seven  great  roads,  is 
sometimes  more  crowded  than  the  most  frequented  streets 
of  European  capitals.  Perhaps  a  pretty  safe  estimate  may 
be  formed  of  the  population  of  Japan  by  supposing  it  to 
equal  that  of  China  ;  and  the  fomier  country  being  about 
one  tenth  part  the  size  of  the  latter,  the  population  will  of 
course  be  about  30,000,000. 

Army,  8cc.  The  army  has  been  estimated  by  Vare- 
nius  at  more  than  half  a  million  ;  and  the  character  of 
the  people  is  singularly  brave  and  resolute.  I'he  navy, 
like  that  of  the  other  oriental  powers,  is  beneath  notice. 
The  Japanese  vessels  are  open  at  the  stern,  so  that  they 
cannot  bear  a  boisterous  sea. 

Revenues.  ~  The  revenues  of  this  empire  are  stat- 
ed by  Varenius  at  2834  tons  of  gold,  on  the  1  lemish  mode 
of  computation  ;  and  taking  the  ton  at  only  10,000/.  ster- 
ling, the  amount  would  be  28,340,000/.  sterling,  besides 
the  provinces  and  cities  wliich  are  immediately  subject  to 
the  emperor.  The  emperor  besides  the  large  revenues  of 
his  provinces,  has  a  considerable  treasure  in  gold  and  sil- 
ver, disposed  in  chests  of  1000  taels,  or  thayls,  each  being 
nearly  in  value  to  a  Dutch  rix  dollar,  or  about  four  shillings 
and  four  pence  English  money. 

Manners  and  Customs.  "  The  people  of  this 
nation  are  well  made,  active,  free  and  easy  in  their  motions, 
with  stout  limbs,  although  their  strength  is  not  to  be  com- 
pared to  that  of  the  northern  inhabitants  of  Euro]ie.  1  hey 
are  of  a  yellowish  colour  all  over,  sometimes  bordering  oli 


JAPAN.  27r 

brown,  and  sometimes  on  white;    Ladies  of  distincUon 
who  seldom  go  out  in  the  open  air  without  hein,?  covered; 

nesithes!^  ""^T'    V'  ""^  '^''''  ^'y"»  '^■'''^  "''^  the  C  hi! 
nese,  these  people  are  distmjruishable.  Thesl-  omans  havi. 

not  d,at  rotunchty  which  those  of  other  naUons  exS   but 

aic  obIong,8maIl,  and  are  sunk  deeper  in  the  head,  n  conse 

arc  yet  rather  thick  and  short."  ^        '  "**» 

This  highly  civilized  people  are  supposed  to  be  free  fmm 

'  iSof'f  r'^'^^  maritime  Chin^-L.  Theyvt^^^^ 
aueties  of  loo<l  and  sauces.  The  master  or  mistress  nTf? 
house  ,s  not  harassed  with  the  trouble  of  ^arX  X  -^^^^^ 
bemg  previously  cut  into  small  pieces  served  ?.n;i  ""^ 
of  porcelain,  o?  japanned  woof  The  gene"aVdH^^^^^^^ 
hflTe'o7.y"f'.^f^'^*^^  "^''^^^  lastanfcleal  os";p'iet 
fruits      Th'^V  ^''^y  "«e '"any  kinds  of  vegetables  and 

to  have  been  introduced  by  the  Porwcuese    amMh  '""" 
fee  of  smoking  l.as  become  general^      '  '      ''  ""^  ^'^^ 

head  '  *^^  ^^'^^'^^  economical  covering  of  thi 


Vol.  I. 


A     ^ 


278 


JAPAN. 


Language.  Thunberg  has  published  a  curieus 
vocabulary  of  the  Japanese  language,  which  seems  indeed 
to  have  little  connexion  with  the  monosyllabic  speech  of 
the  Chinese.  There  are  also  dictionaries  drawn  up  by  the 
Jesuits. 

Literature.  In  the  sciences  and  literature  the 
Japanese  yield  to  few  of  the  oriental  nations.  I'his  sensible 
people  study  house-keeping,  or  domestic  economy,  as  an 
indispensable  science  ;  and  next  to  this  every  Japanese  is 
versed  in  the  history  of  his  country,  Astronomy  is  culti- 
vated, but  has  not  arrived  at  much  perfection.  They  sur- 
vey with  tolerable  accuracy  ;  and  their  maps  are  as  exact 
as  their  imperfect  instruments  will  permit.  The  art  of 
printing  is  ancient  but  they  use  blocks,  not  moveable 
types,  and  only  impress  one  side  of  the  paper.  Some  of 
llieir  arts  and  manufactures  even  surpass  those  of  FAirope. 
There  are  excellent  workmen  in  iron  and  copper ;  and  to 
no  eiastern  country  do  tliey  yield  in  manufactures  of  silk 
and  cotton  ;  while  in  varnishing  wood  they  are  well  known 
to  have  no  equals.  Class  is  also  common  ;  and  they  even 
form  telescopes.  The  porcelain  is  deemed  superior  to  that 
of  China.  Their  swords  display  incomparJjle  skill ;  and 
many  varieties  of  paper  are  prepared  from  the  bark  of  a 
species  of  mulberry  tree. 

There  are  many  schools  in  which  the  children  are 
taught  to  read  and  write ;  :heir  education  being  accom- 
plished without  the  degradation  of  personal  chastisement, 
while  courage  is  instilled  by  the  repetition  of  songs  in 
praise  of  deceased  heroes. 

Cities  and  Towns.  The  capital  city  of  the  Ja- 
panese empire  is  Jedo,  centrically  situated  on  a  bay  in  the 
S.  E.  side  of  the  chief  island  Nipon.  The  houses  never 
exceed  two  stories,  with  numerous  shops  towards  the 
streets.  The  ha'bour  is  so  s)iallow  that  an  European  ship 
would  be  obliged  to  anchor  at  the  distance  of  five  leat;ucs. 
A  fire  happened  in  this  city  in  the  year  1772,  which  is  said 
to  have  consunjcl  six  leagues  in  length,  and  three  in 
breadth;  and  earthquakes  are  here  familiar  as  in  other  re- 
gions of  Japp.n.  The  emperor's  palace  is  surrounded  with 
stone  walls,  and  ditches  with  draw  bridges,  forming  of  itself 
a  considerable  town,  said  to  be  five  leagues  in  circum- 
ference. 


JAPAN. 


279 


.  Miaco,  the  spiritual  capital,  and  second  city  of  the  em- 
pire  IS  placed  in  an  inland  situation  about  160  miles  S  W 

eir/rf f"*-'  °"  1 1""^""^  f  l^'"-     ^*='  ''  '^  '^^  fi'-^t  comme'rciai 
city,  and  is  celebrated  for  the  principal  manufactures.     It 

IS  also  the  seat  of  the  imperial  mint :  and  the  Dairi's  court 

being  hteraiy,  all  books  are  printed  here.     Ksn.pfer  in- 

iorn.3  us,  that  upon  an  enumeration  taken  in  1674,  the  in- 

habitants  were  found  to  amount  to  405,642,  of  whom  were 

males  182,070;  and  223,572  females    wi'thout  induing 

the  numerous  attendants  of  the  Dairi.  ^ 

rhJnf.!"'"?;      /^^  imperial  palace,  like  those  of  the 
Chinese,  consists  of  many   dwellings,  occupying  an    im- 

in  length  by  300  m  breadth.     There  is  a  high  square  tower 
which  consists  of  several  stages  richly  decor^atec?rand  mos 
ot  the  roofs  are  ornamented  with  golden  dragons      The 
pillars  and  ceilings  are  of  cedar,  camphor,  and  oth.r  pre- 
cious  woods ;  but  the  only  furniture  consists  of  wh  te  mats 
fringed  with  gold.    As  might  be  expected  anTong  Ztl 

celnt  ord'er'''^^'' ''''  "'''  '"'"^  *°  '^  "^^"^^^"^^  i""- 
^  Manufactures  and  Commerce.  The  inland 
commerce  is  very  considerable,  being  free  and  exempted 
from  imposts.  The  harbours  are  crowded  with  larTe  and 
mall  vessels ;  the  high  roads  with  various  goodsfand  ?he 
hops  well  replenished.  Large  fairs  are  also  heldTn  dif- 
fent  places,  to  which  there  I  a  great  concourse  of  peo- 
W  off  •f,''"  ""'^^  ^^'""^  ''  ^^^  '"^st  important,  consist- 
ports  are  copper  m  bars,  lackered  ware,  &c.  The  Japanese 
IZs  "rh*  ':r''*'^f/?r-'  th-  gold  being  caffl  k" 
Si  V  I  '^  "'i"^^!^  *^^"*=^  lioi]sima.  sometimes  represents 

^^hh  a  h'     '  ^"^-  ""^^'^'^  ^^"^"g  "P«»  t^o  barrels^of  rice 
^^^th  a  hammer  m  his  right  hand,  and  a  sack  at  his  left. 

t^LiMATE  Ayp  Seasons.        The  heat  of  summer  is 

veil'no?  t?f '""'^^  /!?t"''  ^"^  ^°"^d  ^^  insupportable, 
vere  1"!.  'J.^°^'.^^  ^^  ^^^  sea  breezes.  Equally  se- 
vere  IS  che  cold  m  wmtcr,  when  the  wind  blows  from  the 

espcialLT/h  •''''•     '''''u'  ^^^  ^^""^^"^  f^»«  of  rain! 
cspeuaJly  in  the  ramy  months.  whJrh  h^t^Jn  nf  ^\a^ ' 

Alia  this  IS  the  chiei  cause  of  the  fertility  of  Japan. 
andSnL'?"''*  unfrquent;  and  tempests,  hurricanes, 
earthquakes  are  every  common.  The  greatest  degree 


jao 


JAPAtJ. 


of  heat,  nt  Nagasaki  wna  98°,  in  the  month  of  August ;  and 
the  scveix'st  cold  in  January  35^^. 

Face  of  the  Country,  V'eoetahle  and  Anim>i, 
Productions.  Thouj.h  there  be  some  plains  of  consider- 
able extc  nt,  yet  the  country  in  general  consists  of  moiuUiuns, 
hills,  and  valleys,  the  coast  being  mostly  rocky  and  precipit* 
ous,  and  invested  with  a  turbulent  sea.  'I  he  soil  in  itself  moy 
be  said  to  be  rather  barren  j  but  the  prolific  showers  con- 
spire  with  labour  and  manure  to  overcome  even  this  obsta. 
clc.  Agriculture  is  a  science  in  the  highest  estimaiion  With 
this  sensible  people,  so  that  exce,Jt  the  most  barren  and  un- 
tractable  mountains,  the  earth  is  universally  cullivatcd; 
and  even  most  of  the  mountains  and  hill«.  if  any  portion 
be  found  uncultivated  it  may  be  seized  by  a  more  indns- 
trlous  neighbour.  Manure  is  laid  upon  the  plants,  when 
tUey  have  attained  the  height  of  about  six  inches,  so  that 
they  instantly  receive  the  whole  benefit,  and  weeding  is 
carried  to  the  utmost  degree  of  nicety. 

nice  is  the  chief  grain ;  buck-wheat,  rye,  barley,  and 
wheat  being  little  used.  The  sweet  potatoc  is  abundant; 
with  several  sorts  of  beans  and  peas,  turnips,  cabbages,  Sec. 
The  rice  is  sown  in  April, and  gathered  in  November:  in 
which  last  month  the  wheat  is  sown,  and  reaped  in  .lune. 
The  barley  also  stands  the  winter.  From  the  seed  of  a 
kind  of  cabbage  lamp-oil  is  expressed  ;  and  several  plants 
are  cultivated  for  dying;  there  are  also  cotton  shrubs,  untl 
mulberry  treps,  which  last  feed  abundance  of  silk  wornjs. 
The  varnish  and  camphor  trxies,  the  vine,  the  cedar,  the 
tea  tree,  and  the  bamboo  reed,  not  only  grow  wild,  but  arc 
phmled  for  numerous  uses. 

KivERS.  The  rivers  of  Nipon  have  not  been  deli- 
neated with  much  care.  Among  the  few  named  are  the 
Nogafa,  the  Jedogawa,  and  the  Ojingava ;  of  which  we 
know  Httle  more  than  the  names ;  the  last  is  one  of  the 
largest  and  most  dangerous  in  the  country,  though  not  sub- 
ject, like  the  others,  to  swell  during  rains. 

Lakks.  One  of  the  chief  lakes  seems  to  be  that 
ofOitz,  which  emits  two  rivers,  one  towards  Miaco,  the 
other  towards  Osaka,  and  it  is  said  to  be  fifty  Japanese 
leagues  in  length,  each  about  an  hour's  journey  on  horHC- 
back  ;  but  the  breadth  is  inconsiderable. 

Mountains.  The  principal  Japanese  mountain  is 
that  of  1 'usi,  covered  with  snow  almost  throughout  the 


JAPAN. 


381 


year.     The  Fakonic  mounialiis  arc  In  the  name  ciimilcr 
HurroiindinK  a  small  hike  ol  the  same  name. 

Ncai'thc  lake  of  Oitx  in  the  (lcli^r|,tr„i  mountain  of  lo- 
Han  ;  which  is  esteemed  Hacreci,  and  is  said  to  nicsent  not 
less  than  3000  temples. 

Vroktahlk  and  Animal  PuonucTioNs.  The 
ginger,  the  soy-bean,  black  pepper,  sugar,  cotton,  and  in- 
digo,  though  perhaps  natives  of  the  more  southern  re- 
Rions  of  Asia,  arc  cultivated  here  with  greut  success, 
and  in  vast  abundance.  The  Indian  laurel  and  the  cam- 
phor tree  arc  found  in  the  high  central  parts  of  Japan,  as 
IS  also  the  rhus  vcrnix,  from  the  bark  of  which  exudes 
a  Rum  resin  that  is  supposed  to  be  the  basis  of  the  cxdui- 
sitely  beautiful  and  inimitable  black  varnish,  llesidrs  the 
common  sweet  or  China  orange,  another  species,  the  ci- 
trusjaponica,  is  found  wild.  Two  kinds  -of  nmlbeny  ate 
met  with,  both  in  an  indigenous  and  colli vated  state,  ilie 
one  valuable  as  the  favourite  food  of  the  silk  worm,tbe  other 
eateemed  lor  the  white  fibres  of  its  inner  bark,  which  are 
manufactured  into  paper.  The  lurch,  the  cypress,  and  weep- 
ing wil  ow,the  opium,  poppy,  white  lily,  and  jalap,  are  loiind 
here,  j  he  trumpet-flower  (bifrnonia  cutalpa)  is  common  to 
this  part  of  Asiaand  Peru ;  in  which  circumstance  it  resem- 
bles  the  vanilla,  whose  berries  form  an  article  of  c(,n.nicTce, 
being  largely  used  in  the  preparation  of  chocolate.  Ihe 
tallow  tree,  the  plantain,  tJie  cocoa-nut  tree,  and  two  olhai- 
palms,  adorn  the  wood-land  tracts,  esjx  ciully  near  the 
seu-siiore,  by  the  variety  of  their  j-rowth  und  folJaj-e. 

Neither  sheep  nor  goats  are  found  in  the  whole  empire 
ot.Iapan;the  latter  beinK  deemed  mischievous  to  cultiva- 
tion, while  the  abundance  of  cotton  rcrompenses  the  want 
ol  vyool.  Swine  are  also  deemed  pf-n.icioiis  to  ai^rictihure  • 
and  only  a  few  appear  in  the  nei;;hbouihood  ofNarasuki. 

he  number  of  horses  in  the  empire  were  computed  by 
Ihunbcrg  as  only  equal  to  those  of  a  single  Swedish  town. 
Mill  fewer  cattle  are  seen ;  as  the  Japanese  neither  use 
Uieir  licsh  nor  their  milk,  but  employ  them  only  in  idoni'-h- 
inj^or  drawmg  carts,  i  he  P.oil  (or.sistH  almost  entirely 
01  hah  and  fowl,  with  ve<  et  iblcs  flens  ?.nd  common  ^'----cks 
are  domesticated,  chielly  on  -uumnt  of  their  eggs.  "  a7cw 
(logs  are  kept  from  moUves  r.i  superstition  j  and  the  cats 
arc  fttvounles  of  the  ladies. 

Aa2 


292 


JAPAN. 


There  are  some  wolves  and  foxes :  these  last  being  uni- 
versally detested,  and  considered  as  demons  incarnate. 

Minerals.  "  That  the  precious  metals,  gold  and 
silver,  are  to  be  found  in  abundance  in  the  empire  of  Japan 
has  been  well  known,  both  to  the  Portuguese,  who  former- 
ly exported  whole  ship  loads  of  them,  and  to  the  Dutch  in 
former  times.  Gold  is  found  in  several  parts,  and  perhaps 
Japan  may  in  this  respect  contest  the  paJm  with  the  richest 
country  in  the  world  :  but  in  order  that  this  metal  may  not 
lose  its  value,  by  becoming  too  plentiful,  it  is  prohibited  to 
dig  more  than  a  certain  stated  quantity  ;  not  to  mention 
that  no  metallic  mine,  of  any  kind  whatever,  can  be  opened 
and  wrought  without  the  emperor's  express  permission. 

"  Copper  is  quite  common  in  every  part  of  the  empire, 
and  is  richly  impregnated  with  gold,  constjituting  the  main 
source  of  the  wealth  of  many  provinces.  It  was  not  only 
formerly  exported  in  amazing  quantities,  but  still  continues 
to  be  exported,  both  by  the  Dutch  and  Chinese  merchants. 

"  Iron  seems  to  be  scarcer  than  any  other  metal  in  this 
country. 

"  Brimstone  is  found  in  great  abundance  in  Japan.  Pit- 
«5oal  is  likewise  to  be  met  with  in  the  northern  provinces." 


THE  BIRMAN  EMPIRE. 

COMPRISING    THE 

KINGDOMS  OF  AVA  AND  PEGU. 


THE  Birman  empire  derives  its  name  from  the  Bir- 
mahs,  who  have  been  long  known  as  a  warlike  nation  in 
the  region  formerly  styled  India  beyond  the  Ganges  ; 
the  capital  city  of  their  kingdom  being  Ava  or  Awa.  Pegu 
is  by  the  natives  styled  Bagoo;  being  the  country  situated 
to  the  south  of  the  former,  and  justly  inferred  to  have  been 
the  Golden  Chersonese  of  the  ancients. 

Extent  and  Boundaries.  It  .is  difficult  to  as- 
certam  with  precision  the  boundaries  of  the  Birman  em- 
pire. Mr.  Symes  informs  us,  that  "  it  appears  to  include 
the  space  between  the  9th  and  26th  degree  of  north  lati- 
tude, and  between  the  92dand  lorth  degree  of  longitude 
east  of  Greenwich;  about  1050  geographical  miles  in 
length,  and  600  in  medial  breadth. 

To  the  north  the  Birman  empire  is  divided  by  mountains 
from  Asam,  a  country  little  visited  or  known ;  and  farther 
to  the  east  it  borders  on  I  ibet  and  China.  On  the  west  n 
ranire  of  mountains  and  the  little  river  Naaf  divide  the 
Birman  possessions  from  the  British  dominions  in  Bengal  j 
and  the  limit  is  continued  by  the  sea  But  the  southern 
and  eastern  boundaries  still  ren'  '  >  obscui-e. 

Original  i"OPULATION.  Thenrio-innl  nrkTMi1of:rwn 

ot  this  re.sion  can  be  only  guessed  at.     It  is  probably  a 
branch  of  the  pfreat  Hindoo  family. 

History.        The  Birmans,  a  brave  and  warlike  race 
formerly  subject  to  the  king  of  Pegu,  became  afterwards 


284 


BIRMAN  EMPIRE. 


masters  of  Ava,  and  caused  a  revolution  in  the  former 
country  about  the  middle  of  the  sixteenth  century,  when 
they  took  Martaban. 

They  continued  to  exercise  their  supremacy  over  Pegu 
till  about  the  year  1740,  when  a  civil  war  arose,  during 
which  the  Peguese  in  1750  and  1751  gained  several  vic- 
tories over  the  Birmans  j  and  in  1752  Ava  was  besieged 
and  taken > 

When  Binga  Delia,  king  of  Pegu,  had  completed  the 
conquest  of  Ava,  he  returned  to  his  own  country.  All 
■wore  the  aspect  of  tranquil  submission,  when  Alompra,  a 
Birman  of  low  extraction,  who  was  only  the  chief  of  a 
small  village,  with  one  hundred  devoted  followers,  attacked 
a  band  of  fifty  Peguese,  whom  he  put  to  the  sword :  he 
afterwards  defeated  a  small  force  sent  against  him  ;  and 
about  the  autumn  of  1753,  took  possession  of  Ava,  while 
the  Peguese  government  seems  to  have  been  lost  by  mere 
infatuation.  Alompra  proceeding  in  his  conquc^ls,  founded 
the  town  now  well  known  by  the  name  of  Rangoon,  which 
signifies  '^  victory  achieved."  In  1756  he  blockaded  Syrian, 
which  yielded  to  his  arms ;  he  next  advanced  against  tlie 
city  of  Pegu,  situated  on  an  extensive  plain,  and  then  sur- 
rounded with  no  mean  fortifications,  while  the  stupendous 
pagoda  of  Shomadoo  served  as  a  citadel.  1  his  capital 
was  invested  in  January  17j7,  and  in  about  three  months 
became  a  prey  to  the  Birmans. 

Alompra  next  determined  to  chastise  the  Siamese,  for 
the  encouragement  they  had  t  iven  to  his  rebellious  sub- 
jects, and  ordered  a  fleet  to  sail  to  Merghi,  a  sea-port  be- 
long ing  to  the  Siamese,  which  was  easily  taken,  and  was 
followed  by  the  conquest  of  Tanaserim  a  large  and  popu- 
lous city. 

The  victor  next  advanced  against  the  capital  of  Siam ; 
but  two  days  after  the  siege  had  commenced,  Alompra  was 
seized  with  a  deadly  disease,  which  saved  the  Siamese  from 
destruction.  He  died  within  two  days  march  of  Martaban, 
about  the  1 5th  May,  1766,  regretted  by  his  people,  who  at 
once  venerated  him  as  their  deliverer,  and  as  a  great  and 
victorious  monarch. 

Shembuen,  second  son  of  Alompra,  continued  the  war 
against  Siam;  and  in  1766  two  armies  entered  that 
country  from  the  N.  and  S.  and,  being  united,  defeated  the 
Siamese  about  seven  days  journey  from  their  capital.  After 


a  blocks 
governo 
man  so\ 

The  ( 
quests,  a 
were  CO 
though  ' 
in Vetera 
either  si 
the  mom 
arms  of 
char.  I 
son  Che 
spiracy  i 
deragtte, 
ceased  S 

Minde 
pec,  and 
in  1783, 

The  E 
Siam,  ar 
Junkseil( 
left  his  c 
20  field  I 
in  his  tui 
to  the  so 
Birmans 
tera  mar 
with  this 
the  Siam 
ancient  fi 


BIRMAN  EMPlRt. 


2d5 


a  blockade  of  two  months  the  city  capitulated ;  a  Siamese 
governor  bein^jj  appointed  who  swore  allegiance  to  the  Bir- 
man  sovereignty,  and  engaged  to  pay  an  annual  tribute. 

The  Chinese,  apprehensive  of  the  progress  of  these  con- 
quests, advanced  an  army  from  the  province  of  Yunnan,  but 
were  completely  defeated  by  the  Birmans.  The  Siamese 
though  vanquished  remained  unsubdued  ;  and  there  is  an 
inveterate  enmity  betwixt  the  nations,  which  will  prevent 
either  servitude  or  alliance.  A  Siamese  prince  assumed 
ihe  monarchy,  and  in  177 1,  defeated  the  Birmans,  while  the 
arms  of  Shembuen  were  employed  in  the  conquest  of  Ca- 
char.  He  died  at  Ava  in  1776,  and  was  succeeded  by  his 
son  Chenguza,  whose  tyrannical  conduct  occasioned  a  con- 
spiracy in  1782,  at  the  head  of  which  was  Shembuen  Min- 
deragtte,  the  present  monarch,  younger  brother  of  the  de- 
ceased Shembuen. 

Minderagee  determined  to  pass  the  mountains  of  Anou- 
pec,  and  subdue  Aracan.  This  conquest  was  commenced 
m  1783,  and  was  speedily  effected. 

The  Biiman  arms  were  now  once  more  turned  against 
Siam,  and  in  1785  a  fleet  was  sent  to  subdue  the  isle  of 
Junkseilon.  Meeting  with  a  repulse,  the  Birman  monarch 
left  his  capital  at  the  head  of  :i(),000  men,  with  a  train  of 
20  field  pieces ;  but  was  defeated  by  the  king  of  Siam,  who 
in  his  turn  failed  in  an  invasion  of  the  Birman  possessions 
to  the  south-  In  1793  a  treaty  was  ratified  between  the 
Birmans  and  Siamese,  by  which  the  latter  ceded  the  wes- 
tern maritime  towns  as  far  S.  as  Merghi  inclusive.  But 
with  this  exception,  and  that  of  some  northern  provinces, 
the  Siamese  monarchy  retains  a  considerable  portion  of  its 
ancient  fame.  Hence  it  appears  that  the  Birman  empire 
can  scarcely  be  computed  to  extend  beyond  the  1 02d  de- 
gree of  longitude,  and  that  only  in  the  part  to  the  north  of 
Siam. 

Religion..  The  Birmans  follow  the  worship  of 
Hindostan.  They  believe  in  the  transmigration  of  souls, 
after  which  the  radically  bad  will  be  condemned  to  lasting 
punishment,  while  the  good  shall  enjoy  eternal  happiness 
in  the  mountain  Meru. 

Laws  AND  Government.  "The  Birman  sys- 
tem of  jurisprudence  is  replete  with  sound  moralityvand  is 
distinguished  above  any  other  Hindoo  comm- ntary- for 
perspicuity  and  good-  sense  ;  it  provides  specifically  for 


286 


BIRMAN  EMPIRE. 


almost  every  species  of  crime  that  can  be  committed,  ar.u 
adds  a  copious  chapter  of  precedents  and  decisions,  to 
guide  the  inexperienced  in  cases  where  there  is  doubt  and 
difficulty.  Like  the  immortal  Menu,  it  tells  the  prince  and 
the  maf^istrate  their  duties  in  language  austere,  manly, 
and  energetic." 

Though  the  form  of  government  be  despotic,  yet  the 
king  consults  a  council  of  ancient  nobles.  There  are  no 
hereditary  dignities  nor  employments  :  on  the  demise  of 
the  possessor,  they  revert  to  the  crown.  Rank  is  also  de- 
noted by  chains,  with  various  divisions  (3,  6, 9,  or  12)  and  by 
the  form  and  material  of  various  articles  in  common  use. 
Population.  Colonel  Symes  states  the  popula- 
tion of  the  Birman  dominions  at  17,000,000,  confessedly 
however  the  result  of  a  very  vague  estimate. 

Army  and  Navy.  Every  man  in  the  empire  is  li- 
able to  military  service,  but  the  regular  army  is  very  in- 
considerable.  During  war  the  viceroys  raise  one  recruit 
from  every  two,  three,  or  four  houses,  which  otherwise 
pay  a  fine  of  about  401.  sterling.  The  family  of  the  soldier 
is  detained  as  hostages,  and  in  case  of  cowardice  or  deser- 
tion suffer  death ;  a  truly  tyrannic  mode  of  securing  allegi- 
ance. But  the  war  boats  form  the  chief  military  establish- 
ment, consisting  of  about  500,  formed  out  of  the  solid 
trunk  of  the  teak  tree.  They  carry  from  50  to  60  rowers, 
the  prow  being  solid,  with  a  flat  surface,  on  which  a  piece 
of  ordnance  is  mounted.  Each  rower  is  provided  with  a 
sword  and  lance,  and  there  are  30  soldiers  armed  with 
muskets. 

Revenues.  The  revenue  arises  from  one  tenth  of 
all  produce,  and  of  foreign  goods  imported  :  the  amount 
is  uncertain :  but  it  is  supposed  that  the  monarch  possess- 
es immense  treasures. 

Manners  and  Customs.  The  general  disposi- 
tion of  the  Birmans  is  as  strikingly  contrasted  with  that 
of  the  Hindoos,  as  if  they  had  been  situated  at  the  oppo- 
site extremities  of  the  globe.  The  Birmans  are  a  lively 
inquisitive  race,  active,  irascible,  and  impatient ;  the  un- 
worthy passion  of  jealousy,  which  prompts  most  nations  of 
the  east  to  immure  their  women  within  the  walls  of  an  ha- 
ram,  seems  to  have  scarcely  any  influence  over  the  iriinds 
of  this  extraordinary  and  more  liberal  people.  Birman 
wives  and  daughters  are  not  concealed  from  the  sight  of 
men,  and  are  suffered  to  have  as  free  intercourse  with  each 


•ther,  a! 

other  res 

treatmer 

same  sc: 

pied  in  i. 

the  feroc 

coDsideri 

are  fond 

is  the  he 

of  seven 

Lan 

presents 

like  the  ] 

executed 

monaster 

lonel  byn 

royal  libr 

100.     Tl] 

of  each  c 

CiTI 

spires,  tu 
sence,  se* 
placed  bel 
numerous 
ty  of  the 
amphithej 
grand  and 
public  gra 
pie  at  eacl 
rior  to  oth 
of  this  foi 
front,  beyi 
ported  by 
Ava,  foi 
walls  are 
sides,  and 
mine  the  f 
in  the  difl'( 
palace,  of 
of  the  won 
rial  sni»»*»  h 

«hibit  a  n 
.  Pegu,  foi 
'•IS;  havini 


BIRMAN  EMPIRE.  287 

•ther,  as  the  rules  of  European  society  admit ;  but  in 
other  respects  women  have  just  reason  to  complain  of  their 
treatment ;  they  are  considered  as  not  belonRinp  to  the 
saine  scale  of  the  nation  as  men,  and  are  generally  occu- 
pied m  the  labours  of  the  loom.  In  war  the  men  display 
the  ferocity  of  savages,  while  in  peace  they  can  boas*  a 
considerable  degree  of  gentleness  and  civilization.  They 
are  lond  of  poetry  and  music,  and  among  their  instruments 
is  the  heem,  resembling  the  ancient  pipe  of  Pan,  formed 
of  several  reeds  neatly  joined  together. 

Language  and  Literature.  The  alphabet  re- 
presents 33  simple  sounds,  and  is  written  from  left  to  rieht 
lij^e  the  European.  The  Birman  books  are  more  neatly 
e)&cuted  than  those  of  the  Hindoos,  and  in  every  Haul  or 
monastery,  there  is  a  library  or  repository  of  books.  Co- 
lonel  bymes  was  surprised  at  the  number  contained  in  the 
oyal  library,  in  which  the  large  chests  amounted  to  about 
100.  1  he  books  were  regularly  classed,  and  the  contents 
ot  each  chest  were  written  in  gold  letters  on  the  lid. 

Cities.         The  new  capital  Ummerapoora,  with  its 
spires,  turrets,  and  lofty  obelisk,  denoting  the  royal  pre- 
senee,  seems  to  rise  like  V  enice,  from  the  waters,  being 
placed  between  a  lake  on  the  S.  E.  and  a  large  river  with 
numerous  isles  on  the  N.  W.     The  number  and  singulari- 
ty  of  the  boats  moored  in  the  lake,  and  the  surrounding 
amphitheatre  of  lofty  hills,  conspire  to  render  the  seen? 
grand  and  interesting.     The  fort  is  an  exact  square,  with 
pubhc  granaries  and  store  rooms ;  and  there  is  a  gilded  tem- 
p/e  at  each  corner,  nearly  100  feet  in  height,  but  far  infe- 
nor  to  others  in  the  vicinity  of  the  capital.     In  the  centre 
ot  this  tort  stands  the  royal  palace,  with  a  wide  court  in 
iront,  beyond. which  is  the  Lotoo,  or  hall  of  council,  sup- 
ported  by  77  p,llars,  disposed  in  eleven  rows. 

Ava,  formerly  the  capital,  is  in  a  state  of  ruin.  «  The 
walls  are  now  mouldering  into  decay,  ivy  clings  to  the 
sides,  and  bushes  suffered  to  grow  at  the  bottom,  under- 
T^l  ^he  foundation,  and  have  already  caused  lar^e  chasms 
m  the  different  faces  of  the  fort.  The  lines  of  the  royal 
palace,  of  the  Lotoo  or  grand  council  hall,  the  apartments 
01  the  women,  and  the  spot  on  which  the  piasath  or  impe- 
».vu-u-l" "  """  ^'""•"'  ^"H«^"»cr  witn  ail  the  oilier  buildings 
exhibit  a  most  striking  picture  of  desolation  and  ruin. 

i-egu,  formerly  the  capital  of  a  kingdom,  is  also  in  ru- 
'ns;  havmg  been  razed  by  Alompra,  i-  1.757,  the  praws 


S88 


BIRMAN  EMPIKR. 


or  temples  beinp;  spared  ;  and  of  these  the  vast  pyramid 
of  Shomadoo  has  alone  been  reverenced,  and  kept  in  re- 
pair. It  is  seated  on  a  double  terrace,  one  side  oi  the 
lower  being  1391  feet,  of  the  upper  684.  'i  he  building  is 
composed  of  brick  and  mortar,  octagonal  at  the  base,  and 
spiral  at  the  top,  without  any  cavity  or  aperture.  At  the 
summit  is  a  Tee,  or  sacred  umbrella,  of  open  iron 
work  gilt,  56  feet  in  circumference ;  the  height  of  the  whole 
being  S6\  feet,  and  above  the  inner  terrace  331  feet.  Tra- 
dition bears  that  it  was  founded  about  500  years  before 
Christ. 

One  of  the  chief  ports  of  the  Birman  empire,  is  Ran- 
goon,  which  though,  like  the  capital,  of  recent  founda- 
tion, is  supposed  to  contain  30,000  souls. 

The  grand  river  of  Irrawady  is  bordered  with  numer- 
ous towns  and '  villages.  Persain,  or  Bassien,  stands  on 
its  western  branch.  At  a  considerable  distance  to  the  north 
is  Prome,  celebrated  as  the  scene  of  many  long  sieges 
and  bloody  conflicts.  The  number  of  inhabitants  exceeds 
that  of  Rangoon. 

Edifices.  The  most  remarkable  edifice  is  the 
Shomadoo  before  described.  The  Kioums  are  often  of 
singularly  rich  and  fantastic  architecture.  Colonel  Symes 
has  published  a  view  of  the  grand  hall  of  audience,  perhaps 
as  splendid  an  edifice  as  can  well  be  executed  in  wood. 
His  reception  at  the  "  golden  feet,"  such  is  the  term  used 
for  the  imperial  presence,  was  also  remarkably  grand,  the 
pomp  in  some  degree  corresponding  with  that  of  the  an- 
cient  Byzantine  emperors. 

Manufactures.  The  Birmans  excel  in  gilding, 
and  several  other  ornamental  manufactures.  The  edifices 
and  barges  are  constructed  with  singular  oriental  taste  and 
elegance. 

A  considerable  trade  is  carried  on  between  the  capital 
and  Yunan,  the  nearest  province  of  China,  consisting 
chiefly  in  cotton,  with  amber,  iv6ry,  precious  stones,  and 
betel  nut ;  the  returns  being  raw  and  wrought  silks,  vel- 
vets, gold  leaf,  preserves,  paper,  and  some  utensils  of  hard 
ware.  European  broad  cloth  and  hard  ware,  coarse  Ben- 
gal muslins,  China  ware,  and  glass,  are  imported  by  fo- 
reigners. The  Birmans,  like  the  Chinese,  have  no  coin: 
but  silver  in  bullion,  and  lead  are  current. 

Climate  and  Seasons.  The  vigorous  health  of 
the  natives  attests  the  salubrity  of  the  climate,  the  seasons 


vc  no  coin  • 


BIRMAN  EMPIRE.  ^stf 

Weing  regular,  and  the  extremes  of  heat  and  cold  little 
known. 

Soil  and  Produce.  "  The  soil  of  the  southern 
provinces  of  the  Bimian  empire  is  remarkably  fertile,  and 
produces  as  luxuriant  crops  of  rice  as  are  to  be  found  in 
the  finest  parts  of  Bengal.  Farther  northward  the  country 
becomes  irregular  and  mountainous ;  but  the  plains  and 
valleys,  particularly  near  the  river,  are  exceedingly  fruit- 
fol ;  they  yield  good  wheat,  and  the  various  kinds  of  small 
grain  which  grow  in  Hindostan ;  as  likewise  legumes  and 
most  of  the  esculent  vegetables  of  Indi,.     Su|ar  can^ 

ferenttrliLl ?'?'''  "^""^^^  J"^'^^'  ^°"^'  ^"^  the  di^ 

^..rF.^r^^l'  u-  V'^-  &^°g^«Phy  of  the  rivers  "is  yet  im: 
pertect.  The  chief  river  is  the  Irrawady,  which  probabl v 
passes  by  Moguang  to  Bamoo,  and  thence  by  Ummera^ 
poora  and  Prome  towards  the  sea,  which  it  joins  by  many 
mouths,  after  a  comparative  course  of  near  1200  bS 

Mountains.  It  is  probable  that  the  highest  ran^e 
of  mountains  is  on  the  frontiers  of  Tibet,  of  which  and"he 
other  ranges  we  have  no  satisfactory  delineations 

Vegetable  and  Animal  Productions.  '  It  is 
m  those  parts  of  the  torrid  zone  that  abound  with  water 
and  whei;e,  from  the  influence  of  the  monsoons,  tTe  co^ntrv 
IS  extensively  flooded  every  year,  that  vegetat  on  aTsumls 
a  vigour  and  sublimity  wholly  inconceivable  by  the  nathes 
of  more  temperate  climates;  everlasting  verL  re  "er^e 
ancl  majesty  of  form,  height  and  amplitude  of  growth  are 
the  disunguishmj?  attributes  of  their  trees,  compared  wiJh 

an  Inf  I'"  '"'T'^'^t  ^^  °"^'  ^°''^^^^  '^^  ^"^0  vTgetableTS 
an  inferior  order:  the  same  exuberance  of  nature  is  con 
spicuous  in  their  shrubs  and  herbaceous  pl^ts,  ii  the^; 
blossoms  and  their  fruits,  whose  vivid  brillfaiKv  of  co  our 
singularity  of  shape,  aromatic  fragrance    rd^aitedT^ 
SV^^s^^^^t^-  '''^'^^  the'puny  rre':^ 

tflftT  'V"  g''''t<=f''lo<l<'urof  its  smoke.  ""Tlfe"t;i 

S  Lm  f.-  !'^>  "■?'  '^''"  '1"^  '™"  ">  British  Tk  a,  a 

Von  *  ^"^t^ '  *"  "•"*  J«*  bbok  ebony 


290 


BTRMAN  EMPIRE. 


wood  is  the  produce  of  one  of  the  indigenous  trees  of  Co- 
chin China,  l  he  sycamore  fig,  the  Indian  fig,  and  the 
banyan  tree  itself  a  ^rove,  by  the  breadth  of  their  leaves 
and  the  luxuriance  of  their  foliage,  afford  a  most  delicious 
shelter,  impenetrable  even  by  the  meridian  ardour  of  an 

Indian  sun. 

The  ginger  and  cardamom,  two  pleasant  aromatics,  are 
found  wild  on  the  river  sides  ;  the  turmeric,  whose  princi- 
pal  use  in  Europe  is  as  a  dying  drug,  is  used  by  the  natives 
to  tinL'e  and  flavour  their  rice  and  other  food :  the  leaves  of 
the  betel  pepper,  with  the  fruit  of  the  black  and  long  pep- 
per,  are  the  most  favourite  of  their  native  spices,  to  which 
may  also  be  added  three  or  four  kinds  of  capsicum.  1  he 
cinnamon  laurel  grows  in  abundance,  and  sometimes  ac- 
companied by  the  nutmeg.  The  sugar  cane,  the  bamboo, 
and  the  spikenard,  are  found  throughout  the  whole  coun- 
try j  as  are  the  sweet  potatoe,  mad  apple  and  love  apple, 
Kourds,  melons,  water  melons,  and  a  profusion  of  other 
esculent  plants;  the  plantain,  the  mango  and  pme  apple, 
the  cocoa  nut,  and  sago  palm.  r  u-  j 

The  animals  in  general  correspond  with  those  ot  Hmdos- 
tan.  Elephants  principally  abound  in  Pegu.  The  horses 
are  small  but  spirited.  A  kind  of  wild  fowl  called  the  henza, 
and  by  the  Hindoos  the  braminy  goose,  has  been  adopted  as 
the  symbol  of  the  empire,  like  the  Roman  eagle. 

Minerals.  The  mineralogy  of  this  region,  the 
Golden  Chersonese  of  the  ancients,  is  opulent,  and  some 
products  rather  sini^ular.  The  rivers  of  Pegu  still  con- 
tinue  to  devolve  particles  of  gold  ;  and  their  sands  must  in 
ancient  times  have  been  yet  more  prolific  of  that  precious 
metal ;  as  is  evinced  by  the  practice  of  gilding  the  roots 
and  spires  of  temples  and  palaces,  and  this  splendid  appear- 
ance mieht  naturally  give  rise  to  the  classica.  v,>. .  ation 
of  the  country.  Mines  of  gold,  silver,  rut.e'.  ^  ^  ^P- 
phires  are  at  present  open  on  a  mountain  caiieo  Woobdoo 
taun,  near  the  river  Keen  Duem.  Amber  also,  extremely 
X  ure  and  pellucid,  is  dug  up  in  large  quantities. 


MALAYA,  OR  MALACCA. 


THE  peninsula  appended  to  the  Birman  territories  on 
the  south  is  styled  Malaya  or  Malacca. 

1'he  Portuguese  are  regarded  as  the  first  discoverers  of 
Malacca  in  1509,  to  which  they  were  led  by  the  vain  idea 
of  finding  the  golden  Chersonese  of  the  ancients.     In  1 5 1 1 
they  conquered  the  peninsula,  and  held  it  till  1641,  when 
it  was  seized  by  the  Dutch. 

The  modern  limits  are  not  strictly  defined;  but  Malacca 
IS  about  8P,  or  560  British  miles  in  length,  by  about  150 
miles  of  medial  breadth,  a  territory  sufficiently  ample  for 
a  powerful'  monarchy,  had  its  native  productions  corre- 
sponded  with  its  extent. 

Language.  The  Malayan  language  has  been  call- 
ed the  Italian  of  the  east,  from  the  melody  of  frequent 
vowels  and  liquids. 

The  Arabic  character  is  made  use  of.  They  write  on 
paper,  vising  ink  of  their  own  composition,  and  pens  made 
of  the  twigs  of  a  tree. 

Products.  The  indolence  of  the  inhabitants  has 
prevented  the  country  from  being  explored ;  but  it  pro- 
duces pepper,  and  other  spices,  with  some  precious  gums 
and  woods.  The  wild  elephants  supply  abundance  of  ivory ; 
but  the  tin,  the  only  mineral  mentioned,  may  perhaps  be 
the  produce  of  Banka. 

The  city  of  Malacca,  which  seems  to  have  been  founded 
by  Mahogtietans  in  the  thirteenth  century,  in  the  last 
century  was  supposed  to  contain  12,000  inhabitants,  of 
which  however  only  3000  dwelled  within  the  walls.  Not 
above  300  were  native  Portuguese,  the  others  being  a 
mixed  race  of  Mahopietan  Malays,  accounted  among  the 
chief  merchants  of  the  east. 


292 


MALAYA,  OR  MALACCA. 


Li  general  the  Malays,  are  a  wdl  made  people,  though 
rather  below  the  middle  stature,  their  limbs  well  shaped, 
but  small,  and  particularly  slender  at  th©  wnsts  and  ancles. 
Their  complexion  is  tawny,  their  eyes  ?arge,  their  nos«s 
seem  rather  flattened  by  art  than  nature  ;  and  their  hair  is, 
\fvy  long,  black,  and  shiniog. 

Besides  the  tiger  and  elephant,  Malacca  produces  the 
civet  cat  described  by  Sonnerat,  who  also  mentions  that 
wild  men  are  found  ia  this  peninsula,  perhaps  the  noted 
Orang  Outangs. 

They  are  restless,  fond  of  navigation,  war,  plunder, 
emigrations,  colonies,  desperate  enterprises,  adventures, 
and  gallantry.  They  talk  incessantly  of  their  honour  and 
their  bravery,  whilst  they  are  universally  considered  by 
those  with  whom  they  have  intercourse  as  the  most  treach- 
erous ferocious  people  on  the  face  of  the  globe  ;  and  yet 
they  speak  the  softest  language  of  Asia.  How  much  are 
they  like  a  certain  well  known  European  nation  ? 

This  ferocity  is  so  well  known  to  the  European  naviga- 
tors that  they  universally  avoid  taking  on  beard  any  sea- 
men of  that  nation,  except  in  the  greatest  distress,  and  then 
on  no  account  to  exceed  two  or  three. 

Opposite  to  the  coast  of  Malacca,  though  at  a  consider- 
able  distance,  are  the  islands  of  Andaman  and  of  Nicobar. 
The  great  Andaman  is  about  140  British  miles  in  length, 
but  not  more  than  20  in  the  greatest  breadth. — The  people 
of  the  Andamans  are  as  little  civilized  as  any  in  the  world, 
and  are  probably  cannibals.  They  have  woolly  heads,  and 
perfectly  resemble  negroes.  Their  character  is  truly 
brutal,  insidious,  and  ferocious,  and  their  canoes  of  the 
rudest  kind.  A  British  settlement  has  been  recently  form- 
ed on  the  Greater  Andaman  and  some  convicts  sent  thither 
from  Bengal.  .  The  natives,  about  2000,  have  already  pro- 
iited  by  the  example  of  English  industry. 

The  Nicobars  are  three  ;  the  largest  being  about  five 
leagues  in  circumference.  They  produce  cocoa  and  areca 
trees,  with  yams  and  sweet  potatoes  ;  and  the  eatable  birds' 
nests,  so  highly  esteemed  in  China,  abound  here  as  well 
as  in  the  Andamans.  The  people  are  of  a  copper  colour, 
with  small  oblique  eyes  and  other  Tatar  icaiures.  In  their 
dress,  a  small  stripe  of  cloth  hangs  down  behind  ;  and  hence 
the  ignorant  tales  of  seamen  which  led  even  Linn«us  to 
inft'^*  '^hat  some  kind  of  men  had  tails. 


SIAM. 


Extent  and  Boundaries.  THE  extent  of 
the  biamese  dominions  cannot  be  accurately  defined.  On 
the  west  a  chain  of  mountains  seems  to  divide  Siam 
from  Pegu;  but  the  northern  province  of  Yunshan  would 
appear  to  be  in  the  hands  of  the  Birmans,  who  here 
seem  to  extend  to  the  river  Maykang.  To  the  south  and' 
east  the  ancient  boundaries  are  fixed ;  the  ocean,  and  a 
chain  of  mountains,  dividing  Siam  from  Laos  and  Cambodia 
The  length  of  the  kingdom  may  be  about  ten  degrees,  or 
near  700  British  miles ;  but  of  this  about  one  half  is  not 
above  70  miles  in  medial  breadth. 

Historical  Epochs.         The  Siamese   histo-v  is 
imperfect,  and  abounds  with  fables.    Their  epoch  is'  de 
rived  from  the  pretenc^ed  disparition  of  their  god  Sammo- 
na  Codam  (or  Boodh) :  yet  by  Loubere's  account  their  first 
kin-  began  to  reign  in  the  year  1300  of  their  epoch,  or 
about  756  years  after  the  Christian  era.     Wars  with  Pecu 
an  1  occasional  usurpations  of  the  throne,  constitute  the' 
.anges  of  Siamese  history  since  the  Portuguese  discovery 
m  1  Sb8  the  l^eRuese  king  declared  war  on  account  of  two 
white  elephants  which  the  Siamese  refused  to  surrender 
ancl  alter  prodi^.-ious  slaughter  on  both,  sides  Siam  becnn>" 
tributary  to  Pegu.     But  about  1620  Raja  Hapi  delivered 
his  ciown  from  this  servitude.     In  1680  Phalcon,  a  Greek 
adventurer,  being  highly  fixvoured  by  the  king  of  Siam 
opened  an  intercourse  with  France,  in  the  view  of  sun' 
porting  his  ambitious  designs ;  but  they  were  nunished  b- 
ins  decapitation  m  1689,  and  the  French  connexion  ceased 
m  consequence    The  latter  events  of  Siamese  history  may 
partly  be  traced  m  that  of  the  Birman  empire.  ^ 

Bb  3 


294 


SIAM. 


Religion,  Laws  and  Governihent.  The  reli- 
gton  of  the  Siamese,  Hke  that  of  the  Birmans,  resembles 
that  of  the  Hindoos ;  and  the  transmigration  of  souls  forms 
an  essential  part  of  the  doctrine ;  but  they  imitate  the  Chi- 
nese in  their  festival  of  the  dead,  and  in  some  other  rites 
of  that  singular  nation. 

The  government  of  Siam  is  despotic ;  and  the  sovereign, 
as  among  the  Birmans,  revered  with  honours  almost 
divine.  The  Succcs  ion  to  the  crown  is  hereditary  in  the 
male  line. 

The  laws  are  represented  by  all  writers  on  this  country 
as  exti'emely  severe,  death  or  mutilation  being  punish- 
ments even  of  unimportant  offences. 

Population.  Concerning  the  population  of  Siam 
there  are  no  adequate  documents.  Yet  Loubere  assures  us, 
that  from  actual  enumeration,  there  are  only  found  of  mien, 
women,  and  children,  one  million  nine  hundred  thousand. 

Army.  The  army  which  may  be  occasionally 
raised,  has  been  estimated  at  60,000,  with  not  less  than 
3000  or  4000  elephants. 

Navy.  The  navy  is  composed  of  vessels  of  various 
sizes,  some  of  which  are  richly  decorated.  Hence,  as  in 
the  Birman  history,  naval  enp^agements  are  not  uncom- 
mon ;  and  the  large  rivers  of  exterior  India  are  often  red- 
dened with  human  gore. 

Manners  and  Customs.  Siam  having  embraced 
a  branch  of  Hindoo  faith,  the  manners  of  the  people  are 
assimilated  in  a  great  degree. 

The  women  are  under  few  restraints,  and  are  married 
at  an  early  age.  The  espousals  are  concluded  by  female 
mediation ;  and  on  the  third  visit  the  parties  are  considered 
as  wedded,  after  the  exchange  of  a  few  presents,  without 
any  farther  ceremony  civil  r  sacred.  Polygamy  is  allow- 
ed ;  but  rather  from  ostentation  than  any  other  motive. 

The  Siamese  funerals  considerably  resemble  those  of  the 
Chinese.  The  body  is  inclosed  in  a  wooden  bier  or  var- 
nished coffin  ;  and  the  monks,  called  1  alapoins,  sing  hymns 
in  the  Bali  tonf.fue.  After  a  solemn  procession  the  body  is 
burnt  on  a  funeral  pile  of  precious  woods,  erected  near 
some  temple. 

•T-<l „^   n^  .inti^Unn^.nf  ^r4-V>f>  Cinnxsez-A  r>m-vcictc   in  VtCP 

and  fish,  both  which  articles  are  abundant.    They  also  eat 
lizards,  rats,  and  several  kinds  of  insects. 


The 

on  pilii 

country 

tations 

a  great 

In  pt 

The  fi^ 

has  les! 

^nd  raij 

denly  c 

eyes  ri 

and  dull 

teeth  hi 

brown 

tributes 

The( 

renderii 

The 

have  als 

phants, 

ing,  reli 

exhibitic 

La] 

thirty  se 

'thongs  c 

mostly  1 

Lit 

from  bei 

the  child 

poins,  w 

accompt! 

Books  of 

lent  code 

seem  to  < 

rature. 

CiTl 

dom  has 
by  ^he  rii 
extensive 
condition, 
in  !76ti-,  1 
accounts  i 


SUM. 


295 


riie  reli- 
L'sembles 
lis  forms 
:  the  Chi- 
llier rites 

overeign, 
}  almost 
,ry  in  the 

i  country 
;  punish- 

» of  Siam 
isures  us, 
d  of  men, 
;bousand. 
:asionally 
less  than 

>f  various 
ice,  as  in 
t  uncom- 
)ften  red- 

!mbraced 
eople  are 

married 
y  female 
>nsidered 
,  without 

is  allow- 
lotive. 
ose  of  the 
r  or  var- 
ig  hymns 
le  body  is 
:ted  near 

etc  in  rirp 


The  houses  are  small,  and  constructed  of  bamboos  un 
on  pillars,  to  guard  a^^ainst  inundations  so  commSnTn  tWs 
country      Lven  the  palaces  only  exceed  the  common  hab! 
tations  by  occupying:  a  more  extensive  space,  and  beinfnf 
a  greater  height,  but  never  exceed  one  floor  ^ 

In  person  the  Siamese  are  rather  small,  but  well  made 
The  figure  of  their  countenance,  both  of  men  and  "  ^en* 
has  less  of  the  oval  than  of  the  lozenge  form  beinJ^K^!^' 
.nd  raised  at  the  top  of  the  cheeks;  Ld  tLTfiaS^^^^^^^ 
denly  contracts,  and  is  almost  as  pointed  as  thTdhin  tW 
eyes  nsuig  somewhat  towards  the  temples  aie\m!i1 
and  dull :  the  mouth  is  very  large,  with  thTrk  nnl.  if,.  ^L* 
teeth  blackened  by  art.  The  c^om^ion  iL^o^^^^^^^^ 
brown  mixed  with  red,  to  which  L  clim^ °S^^^ 

r^^^^^:^::^^^^  ^^^^^  ^«-te 

1  he  Siamese  excel  m  theatricai  amusement,      Ti,.„ 
have  also  races  of  oxen  and  those  of  boa"s,  Sats  of  ^/ 

phan,s,cock.fiKhti„g,,umbli„M;,  wrestling  a„d>lelnt 

tMrt,^=-ers,  a/,"cot™tTsT:.^»S  ^T 
thongs  constituting  a  distinct  alphabet.  The  words  tit 
mostly  monosyllabic,  like  the  Chinese  ^"^ 

the  children  are  often  placed In^^trnr^le  S" 
poms,  where  they  are  instructed  in  readin.,  wrhino  and 
accompts.  Ihey  are  also  tau.ht  precepts  of  Slit v 
Books  ot  history  are  not  unknown,  and  th.re  t  Tnetjl' 
lent  code  of  laus.  Poetry,  tales,  and  mytholooic  fabieT 
seem^to  constitute  the  other  departments^f  Si^ilJeseHte: 

Cities  and  Towns.         The  caoitnl  rU,.  rF*u   i  • 
cm  has  been  called  Siam.  ,t  is  skXTL  'J  s   trmS 
by  {he  river  Meinam.     1  he  walls,  in  Loubere'st  me  i^^ 
extensive  ,  but  not  above  a  sixth  part  was  intaS      l« 

^    .  _      "-;---  "Y^"  "^=^''"t;ci,  nor  nave  we  anv  rerent 
accounu  oi  their  other  towns;  but  in  general  they  were  on?y 


396 


SI  AM. 


collections  of  hovels  sometimes  surrounded  with  a  wooden 
stockade,  and  rarely  with  a  brick  wall. 

Edifices.  Kaempfer,  in  1 690,  visited  Siam  ;  and 
he  minutely  describes  two  remarkable  edifices  near  the 
capital.  The  first  is  the  famous  pyramid  called  Puka 
Thon,  erected  in  memory  of  a  victory  there  obtained  over 
the  king  of  Pegu.  It  is  a  massy  but  magnificent  structure, 
about  120  feet  in  height,  in  a  square  spot  enclosed  by  a  wall. 
The  first  stage  is  square,  each  side  being  about  1 1 5  paces 
long.  The  others  vary  in  form  j  and  there  are  often  gal- 
leries  ornamented  with  columns.  At  the  top  it  terminates 
in  a  slender  spire^ 

The  second  edifice  consists  of  two  squares  to  the  east  of 
the  city,  each  surrounded  with  a  fair  wall.  They  contain 
many  temples,  convents,  chapels,  and  columns,  particular* 
ly  the  temple  of  Rerklam,  with  a  grand  gate  ornamented 
with  statues  and  other  carvings. 

Manufactures.  Though  the  Siamese  are  little 
skilled  in  the  fabrication  of  iron  or  steel ;  they  excel  in  that 
of  gold,  and  in  miniature  painting.  The  common  people 
are  mostly  occupied  in  procuring  fish  for  their  daily  food, 
while  the  superior  classes  are  engaged  in  a  trifling  trafiic. 

Commerce.  The  commercial  relations  are  chiefly 
with  Hindostan,  China,  Japan,  and  the  Dutch. 

The  productions  of  the  country  are  prodii.ious  quantities 
of  grain,  cotton,  benjamin;  sandal,  aguallo,  and  sapan 
woods ;  antimony,  tin,  lead,  iron,  load-stone,  gold,  and  sil- 
ver; sapphires,  emeralds,  agates,  crystal,  marble  and 
tombac. 

Climate  and  Seasons.  The  two  first  months 
of  the  Siamese  year,  which  correspond  with  our  Decem- 
ber and  January,  form  the  whole  winter  of  this  country ; 
the  third,  fourth,  and  filth  belong  to  what  is  called  their 
little  summer,  which  is  their  spring  ;  the  seven  others  to 
their  great  summer.  Autumn  is  unkno^^n  in  their  calen- 
dar. The  winter  is  dry ;  the  summer  moist ;  the  former  is 
distinguished  by  the  course  of  the  wind,  which  blows  almost 
constantly  from  the  north,  refreshed  with  cold  from  the 
snowy  mountains  of  Tibet,  and  the  bleak  wastes  of  Mon- 
golia.    ,j 


VJV/XXJ      J»  At  i^ 


vale  between  two  high  ridges  of  mountains,  thus  some* 
what  resembling  Egypt  on  a  wider  scale. 


I  a  wooden 

>iam  ;  and 
3  near  the 
illed  Puka 
ained  over 
structure, 
i  by  a  wall. 
1 1 5  paces 
often  gal- 
terminates 

the  east  of 
ey  contain 
particular* 
rnamented 

e  are  little 
eel  in  that 
ion  people 
daily  food, 
inj^;  traffic, 
are  chiefly 

i  quantities 
and  sapan 
Id,  and  sil- 
larble  and 

St  months 
ir  Decem- 
s  country ; 
ailed  their 
I  others  to 
heir  calen- 
;  former  is 
)ws  almost 
from  the 
;8  of  Mon- 

^  is  a  wide 
hus  some* 


SUM. 


2f9y 


The  Soil  towards  the  mountains  is  parched  and  unfertile, 
but  on  the  shore  of  the  river  consists,  like  that  of  Esypt,  of 
an  extremely  rich  and  pure  mould,  in  which  it  is  even  diffi- 
cult to  find  A  pebble,  and  produces  exuberant  quantities  of 

Rivers.  The  grand  river  Meinam,  a  name  which 
signihes  the  mother  of  ivatcrs,  reigns  supreme  among  the 
isiamese  streams.  It  is  very  deep  and  rapid,  always  full, 
and,  according  to  Kacmpfer,  larger  than  the  Elbe.  The 
mundations  are  in  September,  after  the  snows  have  great- 
ly melted  m  the  northern  mountains,  and  the  rainy  sea- 
son has  commenced.  In  December  the  waters  decline, 
and  sink  by  degrees  to  their  former  level.  The  water 
though  muddy,  is  pleasant  and  salutary . 

Animals.  The  chief  animals  of  Siam  are  ele- 

phants, buffaloes,  and  deer.  Horses  seem  little  known  or 
used,  thoug:h  found  wild  in  Tibet.  The  elephants  of  Siam 
are  of  distinguished  sagacity  and  beauty  ;  and  those  of  a 
white  colour  are  treated  with  a  kind  of  adoration,  as  the 
Siamese  believe  the  souls  of  such  are  royal.  Wild  boars, 
tigers,  and  monkies,  are  also  numerous.  The  Meinam 
IS,  at  distant  intervals  of  time,  infested  with  small  poison- 
ous  serpents ;  and  the  trees  on  its  banks  are  beautifully 
Illuminated  with  swarms  of  fire-flies. 

Minerals.        There  are  some  mines  of  gold,  and 

others  of  copper;  but  the  mines  chiefly  wroueht  by  the 

Siamesearecf  tin  and  lead.  &       /      « 

Near  Louvo  was  a  mountain  of  load-stone  :  fine  agates 

abounded  m  the  mountains,  nor  were  sapphires  unknowrt. 


THE  OTHER  STATES  OF  EXTERIOR  INDIA  ARE, 

o«^  V  r^*"'^;  Surrounded  with  forests  and  deserts, 
and  of  difficult  access  by  water.  The  soil  is  represented 
as  tertilfi  m  rice;  productive  of  the  best  benzoin  and  Jacca, 
exquisite  musk,  with  some  gold  and  rubies. 
Ku  J-^^MBODiA.  This  country,  like  Siam,  is  inclosed 
,  ,^  „„  ^jj^-  ^.yj^j-  jjjjQ  wesi,  ana  iertilized  by  the  ri- 

ver uTaykaung,  which  benins  to  inundate  the  country 
h  J;""^'  *^  ^^'"^y  peopled,  and  the  capital  called  Cam- 
ooaia,  consists  only  of  one  street,  with  a  single  temple. 


!298 


SMALL  STATES. 


The  most  peculiar  product  is  the  sul)stance  styled  gam- 
boge, or  ratlier  camboge  gum,  yielding  a  fine  yellow  tint. 
Ivory  also  abounds,  with  several  precious  woods:  and 
some  add  gold. 

3.  SiAMPA.  This  small  maritime  tract  is  to  the  S. 
E.  of  Cambodia.  'The  people  are  large,  muscular,  and 
well  made,  the  complexion  is  reddish,  the  nose  rather  flat, 
the  hair  is  black  and  long,  the  dress  very  slight. 

4.  Cochin  China.  This  country,  presents  an  exten- 
sive range  of  coast,  and  has  been  visited  by  many  nfivi ga- 
tors. As  the  shores  abound  with  havens,  the  canoes  and 
junks  are  numerous. 

The  superior  ranks  are  clothed  in  »ilk,  and  display  the 
politeness  of  Chinese  manners.  T^he  dress  of  both  sexes 
is  similar,  being  loose  robes  with  large  long  sleeves  ;  and 
cotton  tunics  and  trowsers.  A  kind  of  turban  covers  the 
head  of  the  men :  but  no  shoes  nor  slippers  are  used.  The 
houses  are  mostly  of  bamboo,  covered  with  rushes  or  the 
straw  of  rice,  and  stand  in  groves  of  oranges,  limes,  plan- 
tains, and  cocoa  trees.  The  rainy  season  is  during  Sep- 
tember, October,  and  November ;  and  the  three  following 
months  are  also  cold  and  moist,  presenting  the  semblance 
of  an  European  winter.  The  inundations  only  last  two  or 
three  days,  but  happen  once  a  fortnight  in  the  rainy  sea- 
son. March,  April,  May,  form  a  delicious  spring  ;  while 
the  heat  of  tlxe  three  following  months  is  rather  exces- 
sive. 

The  products  of  agriculture  are  rice  of  different  quali- 
fies, yams,  sweet  potatoes,  green  pumpkins,  melons. 
Sugar  also  abounds.  Gold  dust  is  found  in  the  rivers  ;  and 
the  mines  yield  ore  of  singular  purity.  Silver  mines  have 
also  been  lately  discovered.  Tigers,  elephants,  and  monkies 
abound  in  Cocliin  China;  and  those  edible  birds'  nests,  es- 
teemed a  luxury  in  China,  are  chiefly  found  in  this  country. 
5.  TuNquiN.  This  country  was  only  divided  from 
the  former  by  a  small  river,  and  may  at  present  be  consi- 
dered as  incorporated  with  it  by  conquest.  The  inhabi- 
tants resemble  their  neighbours  the  Chinese,  but  their 
manners  are  not  so  civilized.  The  products  are  numerous, 
and  seem  to  blend  those  of  China  with  those  of  Hindostan. 
The  rivers  in  the  rainy  season,  from  May  to  September, 
inundate  tlie  adjacent* country.     Kesho  the  capital  city  is 


SMALL  STATES. 


299 


'led  gam- 
illow  tint, 
lods :  and 

s  to  the  S. 
lulai')  and 
ather  flat, 

an  exten- 
ly  njiviga- 
moes  and 


described  by  Dampier,  as  approaching  the  Chinese  form, 
with  a  considerable  population.  * 

In  the  gulph  of  Tunquin  and  adjacent  Chinese  sea,  the 
tuftoons,  or  1  yplions  are  tremendous.  «  They  are  preced- 
ed by  a  cloud  which  appears  in  the  north-east,  black  near  the 
horizon,  edged  with  copper  colour  on  the  upper  part  fadinjr 
mto  a  ^raring  white.  It  often  exhibits  a  ghastly  appearand 
twelve  hours  before  the  typhon  bursts,  which  lasts  many 
hours,  blowm^r  from  the  north-east,  attended  with  dreadful 
claps  of  thunder,  laive  and  frequent  flashes  of  lighlninift 
and  excessive  hard  rains."  **        ^ 


isplay  the 
joth  sexes 
tives ;  and 
covers  the 
jsed.  The 
hes  or  the 
nes,  plan- 
ring  Sep- 
:  following' 
semblance 
last  two  or 
rainy  sea- 
ng  ;  while 
lier  exces- 

'ent  quail- 
i,  melons, 
ivers ;  and 
nines  have 
d  monkies 
'  nests,  es- 
is  country, 
vided  from 
it  be  con  si- 
he  inhabi- 
,  but  their 
numerous, 
Hindostan. 
September, 
pital  city  is 


HINDOSTAN. 


INTRODUCTION. 

General  Obsenmtions. ^^Arrangement. — Katuraland  Political 
Divisions, '-Pian  qf  this  firesent  description. 

General  Geogkaph  y.  THE  description  of  this 
interesting  portion  of  Asia  is  not  a  little  difficult,  from  its 
vast  and  irregular  extent,  from  the  want  of  grand  subdivi- 
sions,  from  the  diversity  of  nations  and  powers,  large  fo- 
reign settlements,  and  other  causes,  so  that  the  first  object 
must  be  to  determine  a  clear  and  natural  arrangement. 

Mr.  Pennant,  who  often  excels  in  geographical  delinea- 
tion, has,  in  his  view  of  Hindostan .  been  contented  with  the 
vague  divisions  of  Western,  Eastern,  and  Gangetic,  or  that 
part  which  is  pervaded  by  the  Ganges,  and  its  tributary 
streams.  Major  Rennell,  to  whom  we  are  indebted  for  an 
excellent  map  and  memoir,  which  have  thrown  great  light 
on  Indian  geography,  first  considers  the  sea  coast  and 
islands ;  as,  in  the  construction  of  a  map,  the  outline  ot  the 
coast  is  the  earliest  object.  He  then  describes  Hindostan 
in  four  other  sections:  1.  That  part  occupied  by  the 
Ganges  and  its  principal  branches :  2.  That  occupied  by 
the  course  of  the  Sind6,  Sindeh,or  river  Indus:  3.  Ihe 
tract  situated  between  the  river  Kistna,  and  the  two  former 
divisions :  4.  The  countries  to  the  south  of  the  Kistna,  or 
what  is  perhaps  improperly  called  the  southern  peninsula, 
as  no  part  of  Hindostan  can  be  styled  a  peninsula,  in  tne 


sea. 


modern  acceptation  oi  uc\n\^ 

fERAL  Divisions.         „ 

Rennell  seems  the  best,  not  only  in  itselt,  as  was 


Gei 


The  general  plan  adopted 


by  Majoi 


HINDOSTAN. 


301 


id  Political 
n. 

ion  of  this 
It,  from  its 
kd  subdivi- 
,  large  fo- 
irst  object 
ment. 
al  delinea- 
d  with  the 
tic,  or  that 
i  tributary 
[)ted  for  an 
[^reat  light 
coast  and 
line  of  the 
Hindostan 
ed  by  the 
:cupied  by 
:  3.  The 
wo  former 
!  Kistna,  or 
peninsula, 
ula,  in  the 
hv  the  sea. 
an  adopted 
self,  as  was 


to  have  been  expected  from  his  profound  acquaintance 
with  the  subject,  but  as  having  the  advantage  of  beinj?  fa- 
niiliar  to  the  public,  from  the  widely  diffused  reputation  of 
his  work.  Amidst  the  want  of  important  ranges  of  moun- 
tains, rivers  alone  can  be  assigned  as  natural  divisions : 
and  as  in  Hindostan  they  do  not  form  limits,  the  countriei 
pervaded  by  their  courses  and  tributary  streams  may  be 
considered  as  detachecT  by  the  hand  of  nature.  Hence  the 
Gangetic  part  of  Hindostan,  to  uBe  Mr.  Pennant's  term,  in- 
cludes the  space  from  the  confines  of  Tibet  to  the  souses 
of  the  Chumbul  and  S.ppra,  and  from  the  mountains  near 
X^nSosTan.  ^^"  ''  '°  '^'  most  eastern  boundary 
That  portion  watered  by  the  Sinde  or  Indus,  and  its  sub- 

Ftlir'''""'!^  '"'^  ^"  "^^  ^^""^^  be  termed  S  ndetL 
Hindostan ;  and  as  a  supplement  to  this  division  may  be 

^^iL:^:^'si:i:^t'^'^  -'  -''-  --  -^- 

V  rsTvled^De'^  '°'"'^^^'  '"  ^"^'^"^  ^^'^  '^^^  PoS 
he  DeSn  of  thTHJnT'"'  '^^'"J^^PJying  the  south.  But 
ine  ueccan  oi  the  Hindoos  extended  twice  as  far  in  a  nor- 
therly direction,  even  to  the  river  Nerbudda  •  so  that  it 
>vou Id  in  fact,  with  the  Gangetic  and  Sinde?ic  div  sio. 
near  y  complete  the  whole  of  flindostan.  The  term  Lee! 
can  ,vS^therefore  here  used  for  the  portion  to  the  south  of 

Gan  .  'in?  ?  *^'^  u"°''''  ""^^^'^  ^'^tna,  reaching-  to 

with  ^;^f  °«t^"  «»  the  north  and  east,  and  the  Sihdet  c 

^It  I     .    Pi^/^"^entary  provinces  on  tiie  north  and  west 
inay  be  styled  Interior  or  Central  Hindostan.  ' 

In  this  arrangement  the  Gangetic  part  will  include  Ben 

r5n?l      r  ^^  i^mdetic  contains  Kuttore,  Cashmir,  Cabi  1 
Candahar,  Lahore,  Moultan,  and  Sinde  ' 

mth(\':T'u  n '"'"^^^  represents  (.uzerat,  in  the  west 
vith  Candeish,  Berar,  Orissa,  the  Sircars,  the  chief  narrof 
Golconda,  Visiapour,  Dowlatabad,  and  Concan         ^      ^^ 
Ihe  southern  division  includes  a  small  hok:..  o^  — 

«este™  coast  being  called  that  of  Malabar,  ^d  the  eL'.Sn 

'  v./  C 


3t)2 


HINDOSTAN. 


that  of  Coromandel.    In  this  part  is  naturally  included  the 
iaJand  of  C'eylon. 

Political  Divisions.  The  next  topic  to  be  con- 
sidered, in  a  general  view  of  Hindostan,  is  its  political  situ- 
ation, as  divided  among  various  powers.  Of  these  the 
English  is  at  present  preponderant,  not  only  from  Euro- 
pean  tactics,  but  from  an  actual  extent  of  territory  at  least 
equal  to  that  of  any  native  power.  •  To  their  former  wide 
possessions  in  Gangetic  Hindostan,  with  a  large  portion  of 
the  eastern  coast  from  below  the  estuary  of  the  Kistna  to 
the  lake  of  Chilka,  and  the  detached  government  of  Madras, 
have  been  recently  added  extensive  regions  in  the  south 
and  west  of  Mysore,  with  Seringapatam  the  capital,  not  to 
mention  Bombay  and  other  detached  establishments.  And 
the  large  and  important  island  of  Ceylon  has  been  wrested 
from  the  Dutch. 

Next  in  consequence  are  the  Maratta  states,  chiefly  con- 
tained in  the  central  division  of  Hindostan. 

The  Nizam,  or  Soubah  of  the  Deccan,  their  ftrm  ally,  ha 
considerably  enlarged  his  territory  in  the  south  at  the  ex 
pense  of  Tippoo ;  the  central  part  of  whose  dominions,  ex- 
cept  Seringapatam,  is  subject  to  the  raja  of  Mysore,  a 
descendant  of  the  race  dethroned  by  Hyder,  an  usurper. 

The  British,  the  Marattas,  and  the  Nizam,  may  be  re- 
garded as  the  three  leading  powers,  to  which  may  be  added 
on  the  west,  or  on  the  Sindetic  division,  the  Seiks,  and  Ze- 
maun  Shah,  or  whatever  prince  holds  the  eastern  division 
of  Persia. 

The  following  table,  extracted,  with  a  few  altercations, 
from  Major  Rennell's  memoir,  will  convey  a  more  com« 
plete  and  satisfactory  idea  of  this  important  topic. 

I.   British  Possessions. 

1 .  Bengal  and  Bahar,  with  the  Zemindary  of  Benares. 

2.  Northern  Sircars,  including  Guntoor. 

3.  Barra-Mahal,  and  Dindigul. 

4.  Jaghire  in  the  Carnatic. 

5.  The  Calicut,  Palicaudj  and  Coorga  countries. 

II.  British  Allies. 

1 .  Azuph  Dowlah.    Oude. 

•    2.  Mahomed  Alii.     Carnatic 

3.  Travancore,andCochi;i. 


HiNDOSTAN. 


303 


III.  Maratta  States. 


PooNA  Marattas. 

1.  Mahva. 

2.  Candeish. 

3.  Part  of  Amednagur,  or 

Dowlatabad. 

4.  Visiapour. 

5.  Part  of  Guzerat. 

6.  Agra. 

''•  — —  Agimere. 

8.  Allahabad. 

9.  Shanoor,  or  Sanore,  Ban-  9. 

capour,  Darvvar,  &c.  si- 
tuated in  the  Dooab,  or 
country  between  the 
Kistna  and  Tombudra 
rivers.  ".  *. 


1. 
2. 

3. 

4. 
5. 
6. 
7. 
8. 


Tributaries.  . 

Rajah  of  Jyenagur. 
"         Joodpour. 

Oudipour. 

■  Narwah. 

■  '      Gohud. 

Part  of  Bundelcund. 
Mahomed  Hyat.  Bopaitol. 
Futty  Sing.     Amedabad. 
Gurry  Mundella,  &c.  &c. 


Berar  Marattas. 


1.  Berar. 

2.  Orissa. 


Tributary. 
Bembajee. 


IV.  Nizam  Ali,  Soubah  of  the  Deccan. 

1.  Golconda.  Combam)  and  Gandicotta 

?'  ^"[""gabad..  (orGanjecotta.) 

1'  V    r'r  n  ^-  P^^t°f  ^ooty,  Adoni,  and 

4.  Part  of  Berar.  Canoul. 

^-  "—  Adoni,Rachore,and8.  Part  of  the  Dooab. 

Canoul.  ,  [9.  Other  districts  acquired 

6.  Luddapah.  Cummum  (or       1799.] 


V.  Seiks. 

Lahore,  Moultan,  and  the  western  parts  of  Delhi. 

As  the  other  great  power  chiefly  extends  over  Persia, 
and  may  be  regarded  as  foreign,  it  only  remains  to  mention 
the  small  states. 


304 


HINDOSTAN. 


1.  Sucdtssors  of  Zabeda  Cavrn.    Sehauninpm*r. 

2.  Jats. 

3.  Pattan  Uoliillas.     Furruckabad. 

4.  Adjijr  Sing.     Kewah,  8cc. 

5.  Ikindclcund,  or  Bundcla. 

6.  Little  Ballogistan. 

To  which  may  now  be  added  the  Raja  of  MystorCj 

The  British  possessions  prior  to  the  fall  of  Tippoo,  1 799, 
were  supposed  to  contain   197,496  square  British  miles, 
hc'iuy  al)out  f>0,000  more  than  are  comprised  in  the  united 
kingdoms  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland:  the  number  of 
inhabitants  was  computed  at  ten  millions.  The  acquisition 
in  1799  probably  adds  15,000  square  miles,  and  the  popu- 
lation subject  to  Great  Britain  is  supposed  to  be  1 2  or 
1 4,900,000.     The  net  revenue  exceeded  three  millions  be- 
fore the  cessions  by  Tippoo,  in  1792,  computed  at  400,000/. 
while  those  in  1799  do  not  appear  much  to  exceed  half  that 
sum.     This  great  power  and  revenue  of  so  distant  a  coun- 
try, maintained  in  the  midst  of  a  highly  civilized  foreign 
nation,  is  perhaps  unexampled  in  ancient  or  modem  times. 
The  Marattas  are  divided  into  two  states  or  empires, 
that  of  Poona,  or  the  western,  and  Berar,  or  the  eastern ; 
each  ruled  by  a  number  of  chiefs  or  princes,  who  pay  a  no- 
minal  obedience  to  the  paishwa,  or  sovereign.  An  account 
of  the  Marattas  belongs  to  the  central  division  of  Hindos- 
tan.     The  Seiks,  a  new  religious  sect,  first  appeared  in  the 
middle  of  the  seventeenth  century,  and  have  gradually  be- 
come formidable  to  the  neighbouring  states.  The  Jats,  or 
Jets,  were  a  tribe  of  Hindoos,  who  about  a  century  ago 
erected  a  state  around  the  capital  Agra.      The  Afghans, 
another  peculiar  people,  originated  from  the  mountains 
between  Persia  and  India- 

Before  closing  these  general  considerations  with  regard 
to  this  extensive  country,  it  may  be  proper  to  observe  that 
the  name  of  Hindostan  has  been  considered  as  synony- 
mous with  the  empire  of  the  great  Mongul.  But  the 
power  of  the  Monguls,  which  commenced  under  Baber, 
1518,  was  most  eminent  in  the  northern  parts,  the  Deccan, 
or  south.,  remainin!.-:  unsubdued  till  the  time  of  Aurunzeb, 
1678,  when  that  region,  with  what  is  calied  the  peinnsuia, 
a  few  mountains  and  inaccessible  tracts  only  excepted,  were 
either  vanquished  or  rendered  tributary  to  the  throne  ot 


HINDOSTAN.  »  305 

Delhi.  When  Aiirunzeb  died  in  1707,  in  his  90th  year, 
!k  V;.?u^"'  .^"'P*'"*^  ^^'^  obtained  its  utmost  extent  from 
the  loth  to  the  35th  degree  of  latitude,  (about  1750  British 
miles,)  and  about  as  much  in  length :  the  revenue  exceed- 
ing thn-ty-two  millions  sterling,  in  a  country  where  pro- 
visions are  about  four  times  as  cheap  as  in  Knuland.  The 
number  of  its  subjects  may  be  computed  at  about  sixty  mil- 
lions.  But  this  great  power  declined  so  rapidly,  that  within 
hfty  years  after  his  death,  it  may  b«  said  to  have  been  an- 
nihilated,  and  the  empire  of  the  great  Mongul  has  vanished 
trom  modern  geography. 

The  plan  to  be  pursued,  in  the  subsequent  brief  account 

?nni  ,".*''".!  ^''*'  .''^*^"  ^^""^^^  indicated  as  divided  into 
four  parts;  the  region  on  the  Ganges,  those  on  the  Indus, 
t  e  central,  and  the  southern.     In  three  of  these  divisions 

Inrl  !1  J '  r^T'''^"'  ^''*'  powerful,  if  not  predominant; 
^nd  It  IS  difticult  to  connect  the  political  with  the  natural 
geography.  Doubts  may  justly  arise  whether  the  British 
territories  ought  not  to  forni  a  separate  and  distinct  portion 
in  a  perspicuous  arrangement,  this  being  another  of  the 

fan  '  Rn?l^"'''"7^''^  ""/"''  '^'  geography  of  Hindos- 
tjr.,  -^  ^.""^  "'^'^  ofthe population  in  these  settle- 

nh?  f  ?r'''''  of  nativ.  Hindoos,  and  the  natural  geogra- 
phy  of  the  country  must  not  be  sacrificed  to  any  extraneous 
consideration,  it  still  seems  preferable  to  abide  by  Uiedi! 
mion  already  laid  down.  Hence  that  form  of  dcsa-fption 
tTnnln/  ''.^'^"'  >vh,ch,  resting  on  the  perpetual  founda- 
tions of  nature,  cannot  be  injured  or  obliterated  by  the  de- 
stinies  oi  man.  •  /  *• 

m  Jnt^l' nT*'^''f '''."?.^'^"^  premised,  a  similar  arrange- 

kbvrmth    f''?  ^'  ^"^"^^"^  ^"  describing  Hindostan,  a 

abyrmth  of  eastern  geography,  with  that  used  in  delineat- 

ing  Germany,  that  labyrinth  of  European  geography      A 

!Z:i  :T  f  '''.'  ;^^"'^  ^^g'°"  «'^^"  be  fol  Jed  by  a 
short  sketch  of  each  of  the  above  divisions  ;  in  which  ihe 

Name.         The  name  of  this  celebrated  country  in  the 
seems  to  have  been  imnosed  hv  th*.  ^v,,c;o«.      -  - 


Known  by  the  name  of  the  empire  of  the  Great  iVIorul 

Cq2 


306 


HINDOSTAN. 


Boundaries.  This  portion  of  Asia  extends  from 
cape  Comari,  culled  by  navigators  Comorin  in  the  sowth, 
to  the  mounlains  which  form  the  northern  boundary  of 
Cashmir ;  that  is  according  to  the  most  recent  maps,  from 
.«  about  the  eighth  to  about  the  3;Hh  def>;ree  of  northern  la- 
titude, being  twenty-seven  degrees,  or  1620  g  miles.  I'he 
northern  boundary  may  be  yet  farther  extended  to  the 
Hindoo  Koh,  and  mountains  running  E.  and  W.  on  the 
north  of  the  province  of  Kuttore. 

From  the  river  Araba,  on  the  west  of  the  province  of 
Sinde,  to  the  mountains  which  divide  Bengal  from  Cassay 
and  the  Birman  dominions,  that  is  from  about  the  sixty- 
r,ixth  to  the  ninety-second  degree  of  east  longitude  from 
Greenwich,  there  are  26°  which  in  the  latitude  of  23°  con- 
stitute a  breadth  of  more  than  1400  g.  miles. 

ri'he  boundaries  are  marked  on  the  north  by  the  moun- 
tains above  mentioned.  On  the  west  towards  P#rsia, 
other  ranges  and  deserts  constitute  the  frontier  till  the 
southern  separation  ends  in  the  river  Araba.  The  other 
boundaries  are  supplied  by  tlie  Indian  ocearv,  and  Bay  of 
Bengal,  the  little  river  Naaf,  and  those  mountains  which 
divide  the  British  possessions  from  Aracan,  Cassay,  and 
Cashur. 

Original  Population.  The  origin:*!  population  may 
be  generally  considered  as  indigenous;  yet  amidst  the  rn'eat 
diversity  of  climate  and  situation,  the  native  race  presents 
considerable  varieties,  as  being  fi«rer  in  the  northern  parts, 
and  in  the  southern  almost  or  wholly  black,  but  without 
the  negro  wool  or  features.  Still  the  tir%e  of  the  women 
and  superior  classes  is  deep  olive ;  and  the  Hindoo  form 
and  features  may  be  said  to  apprt>ach  the  Persian  or  Euro- 
pean standard.  The  Monguls  with  the  Arabs  and  Persians, 
who  are  settled  here,  are  generally  called  Moors. 

Historical  Epochs.  T  he  H  in  doos  never  seem 
to  have  boasted  of  one  native  historian,  and  the  best  mate- 
rials  are  derived  from  the  Persian  memoirs  ;  from  which 
Ferishta  himself,  a  Persian,  compiled  his  histories  of  Hin- 
flostan  towards  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth  century. 
In  this  defect  of  native  records  we  must  be  contented  with 
the  epochs  derived  from  foreign  sowices. 

1.  The  invasion  by  Alexander  the  Great,  who  fjound 
western  India  divided  among  numcpous  potentates,  though 
Ue  advaaced  little  farther  than  Lahore. 


ids  from 
e  suHth, 
[idary  of 
|->s,  from 
hern  la- 
iS.  I'he 
d  to  the 
.  on  the 

vince  of 
I  Cassay 
le  sixty- 
ide  from 
25°  con- 

e  moun- 
\  P#rsia, 
•  till  the 
he  other 
1  Bay  of 
IS  which 
say,  and 

tion  may 
the  p;reat 
presents 
:rn  parts, 
t  without 
e  women 
doo  form 
or  Euro- 
Persians, 

ver  seem 
est  mate- 
>m  which 
js  of  Hin- 
century. 
nted  with 


HINDOSTAN.  ^^^ 

fo.m<k,_  of  the  Mahometan  empire  inHin  o.tlr'     ' '"' 

HI.  Taos      """''  '^-  °-  '2°^'  and  emis  with  Mahmoud 
Bat71'«r"  '^'"S"!'  '"■  '^""ei.l  emperors  begin  with 

bvNadirtf''"^  ■"'"""■'  ""■'  «' a  distant  interval,  that 

this  pt  iVe  clmr  %r't""''"=  "P"""  '"  ">«  l™t4  of 
i.,lii     I-      ■  T."^^ — '^'■^  '»""■  ""ay  be  said  to  have  vir 

tiemcnts  were  followed  by  tliose  of  the  I)utcl>      Th.p        J 
cnerry.— As  merchants  the  English   hprlh^nr^.  ki  i. 

S;u:,ph-f-,-S:;:;!;:^^^^^^^ 

nabob,  and  many  of  the  inhabitants  peHsh^d  i,^  asho/kin^ 
ZT"t  pT  ^'"^«  ""fi"'"  '»  »  ™all  oh  mbe,  !!The 

oT:iv:,r-'r;reV:ft^^^^^^^ 
:fd'':f^,f'''rv4'=''"«'^"^^^^^ 

a'n'an°nLr,Ste'''to„''l'r'i;,:'Sfr;  ™  ^™'""'°"  "^ 
in  a  contest  with  Hyder°AHU  so.dieVS'ttr.e!  SXd' 
dethroned  the  Imeal  sovereign  of  Mysore,  an,  extends  Lk 
conquests  to  the  adjacent  territories.    Some  conflkts  fo 
lowed  on  the  confines  of  Carnada  and  Mysore     h,,^  f^ 
fnT'  T«i'"'^  "l^^tageous  to  either  paZ^H'ier    Iv' 
ngm  1783,  was  succeeded  by  his  son  TipMo,  wl»  seem,' 
to  have  been  a  prince  of  inferior  abilities,  TdeSatetm^ 

^  'I'J^e  Bengal  provinces  have  been  in  nn.=...! r  .,_ 

i'.r.Ki.sh  since  1765  ;  and  Benares  was  added  in  mi  "'li!'-'' 
pc«,on  might  constitute  a  considerable  ktgdl.ands 

'lependently  of  a  formidable  force.     The  Sircars,^or  d^ 


308 


HINDOSTAN.  . 


tached  provinces,  partly  belong  to  Golconda,  and  partly  to 
Orissa,  forming  a  long  narrow  slip  of  country  from  twenty 
to  seventy-five  miles  wide,  but  about  three  hundred  and 
fifty  in  length.  These  detached  Sircars  or  countries,  being 
to  the  north  of  Madras,  on  which  they  are  dependent,  are 
commonly  styled  the  northern  Sircars.  In  1 75^  they  were 
acquired  by  the  French ;  and  conquered  by  the  English 
under  Colonel  Clive  in  1759. 

The  English  settled  at  Madras  about  the  year  1 640 ; 
and  their  territory  here  extends  about  a  hundred  and  eight 
British,miles  along  the  shore,  and  forty  seven  in  breadth, 
in  the  centre  of  the  ancient  kingdom  of  Carnada. 

The  celebrated  battle  of  Panniput  was  fou;>ht  in  1761, 
between  the  Mahometans  under  Abdalha  kin,i^  of  Candahar, 
and  the  Marattas,  in  which  the  latter  were  defeated  :  the 
Mahometans  were  computed  at  150,000,  and  the  Marattas 
at  200,000. 

Ancient  Monuments.  Some  of  the  most  re- 
markable monuments  are  excavated  temples,  statues,  re- 
lievos, &c.  in  an  island  near  Bombay.  The  idols  repre- 
sented seem  clearly  to  belong  to  the  present  mythology  of 
Hindostan  ;  but  at  what  period  these  edifices  were  model- 
led, whether  three  hundred,  or  three  thousand  years  ago, 
must  be  left  in  the  darkness  of  Hindoo  clironology. 

Mythology.  Though  the  mytholoi;y  of  the  Hin- 
doos may  pretend  to  great  antiquity,  yet  their  present  form 
of  religion  is  supposed  to  vary  considerably  from  the  an- 
cient. The  artful  Bramins  have  introduced  many  innova- 
tions in  order  to  increase  their  own  power  and  influence ; 
but  it  appears  that  the  fabric  rests  on  that  almost  universal 
system  of  the  east,  the  belief  in  a  supreme  Creator  too  in- 
efiuble  and  sublime  for  human  adoration,  which  is  therefore 
addressed  to  inferior,  but  threat  and  powerful  divinities. 

Religion.  The  religion  of  the  Hindoos  is  artfully 
interwoven  with  the  common  offices  of  life  ;  and  the  dif- 
ferent casts  are  supposed  to  originate  from  Brahma,  the 
immediate  agent  of  creation  under  the  supreme  power  in 
the  following  manner : 

The  Brahmin  from  the  mouth  (wisdom) :  To  pray,  to 

w^'irl      tr\  inctrnrt  •     ■»«; K i r- K   cpr-f-  V»«c   V»a''l     «i''t   *»nr>ii«TK    in    raiep 

themselves  above  all  the  rest. 

The  Cheh  eree,  from  the  arms  (strength)  :  To  draw  the 
bow,  to  fight,  to  govern. 


HINDOSTAN.  309 

The  Brice,  from  the  belly  or  thighs  fnourishmpnfl .  T„ 
prov.de  the  necessaries  of  life  by  a|ricKei™  traffic 
,ert^'       '"''  """  "-.^  fe«(»ub;ectio„)i  To  lab^urtto 

CovERNMENT.        Hindostan    is    now  divided    i„t„ 
many  governments,  the  form  of  which  musTbe  conslde  ed 
n  describing  the  sevei-al  states.   Suffice  it  here  to  observe 
that  thongh  the  Bramins  be  the  most  digSd  cast  '  e.' 

"ro'b'-.r  ™»"-™-"-<'  .heLorSi'^iir  ;z 

„<,«  •'"""^"T'lON.        The  population  of  this  extensive 

wWch,heBri'tisrr"''°  ^'"™'"  '°  -xty  miSTf 
quarter  '  P°*''='™"»  ">»>'  "<>"  Perhaps  contain  a 

millions  sterling  in  modern  England  '^ 

toms  of^SiTmnT"  ^'"-^°»^-  The  manners  and  cus- 
1i„i!l  ,  "'"''°,<'«  "'■<=  "'timately  blended  with  thci-  re 
hgion,  and  are  universally  similar,  with  a  few  exc^;i„„: 
m  mountainous  and  other  peculiar  districts  (W?f?, 
jnost  singular  begins  to  expire,  that 'of  g  ving  the  liv  n:^ 
widow  to  the  same  flames  with  her  husband's  ™nse'«^ 
As  soon  as  a  child  is  born  it  is  carefully  reliste?ed  in  it, 
dXv'' a'  Z"  '•"'■^'''8"-'  "'^  consult^  lonceming  Z 

■"ore  vigour  and  ele^iance  of  form      Th»  ,  ""  '"" 

p..  -  ai  c  i;oiinnea  ai  Home  till  their  twelfth  vear  P^TJ-  ""' 
;^  pnctised,  but  one  wife  is  acknJv.lefe  sunfeZ'' 
It  fr„l°°'  .'"•e  extremely  abstemious,\nd  whoHv  "bJ 
'tain  from  animal  iood  and  intoxicating  liquors    Vhe 


310 


HINDOSTAN. 


.houses  are  built  of  earth  or  bricks,  covered  with  mortar, 

and  sometimes  with  excellent  cement,  with  no  windows, 

or  only  small  apertures.  There  is  generally  only  a  ground 

floor,  inclosing  a  court,  with  a  small  gallery  supported  by 

flight  wooden  pillars. 

Languages.  The  general  ancient  language  of 
Hindostan  is  believed  to  have  been  the  Sanscrit,  an  origi- 
nal and  refined  speech,  compared  by  Sir  William  Jones 
with  the  Greek  and  Latin.  'J'he  more  common  dialects 
used  in  these  extensive  regions  are  very  various  ;  not  fewer 
tlian  nine  or  ten. 

Literature.  The  literature  of  Hindostan  doubt- 
less contains  several  valuable  and  curious  monuments;  but 
their  epochs  are  extremely  uncertain.  Hence  little  else 
than  confusion  and  contradiction  are  to  be  found  in  the  nu- 
merous accounts  published  of  Hindoo  literature. 

The  most  important  books  are  the  Vedas ;  there  are  also 
some  epic  poems  which  pretend  to  contain  fragments  of 
genuine  history.  It  is  probable  the  oldest  was  not  written 
above  seven  hundred  years  ago. — It  is  a  great  singularity 
that  the  old  Hindoo  grants  of  land,  many  of  which  have 
been  translated  and  published,  are  extremely  long,  and  in  a 
itrange  poetical  or  inflated  style,  some  of  the  compound 
words  consisting  of  not  less  than  one  hundred  and  fifty 
syllables  !  When  we  compare  these  singularities  with  the 
brevity  and  clearness  of  the  Greek  and  Roman  inscrip- 
tions, we  are  led  to  conclude  that  the  Hindoos  are  the 
puerile  slaves  of  a  capricious  imagination. 

The  Hindoos  are  ii^norant  of  the  Chinese  art  of  printing ; 
they  are  nevertheless  in  general  highly  civilized,  and  of  the 
most  gentle  and  amiable  manners.  But  perhaps  in  no  art 
nor  science  are  they  equal  to  the  Chinese  or  Japanese ; 
and  in  most  are  confessedly  greatly  inferior. 

The  chief  university  in  the  north  is  that  of  Benares,  a 
most  celebrated  and  ancient  school,  now  included  in  the 
English  possessions.  In  the  Deccan  the  academy  of  Tri- 
ciur,  on  the  ?4alabar  coast,  is  also  in  great  repute.  "  At 
Cun^ibuam^  in  Carnate^ihctQ  is  still  a  celebrated  Brahman 
school,  which,  according  to  the  testimony  of  Ptolemy,  ex- 

bers  are  certainly  equal  in  celebrity  to  the  Brahmans  of 
Benares.** 


mortar, 
ivindows, 
a  ground 
)Orted  by 

puage  of 
an  origi- 
m  Jones 
1  dialects 
not  fewer 

m  doubt- 
ents;  but 
ittle  else 
n  the  nu- 

i  are  also 
ments  of 
>t  written 
ngularity 
ich  have 
,  and  in  a 
om  pound 
and  fifty 
with  the 
1  in  scrip- 
are  the 

printing ; 
lUd  of  the 
i  in  no  art 
apanese ; 

enares,  a 
led  in  the 
y  of  Tri. 
te.  "  At 
Brahman 
lemvj  ex- 

hmans  of 


HINDOSTAN.  „,, 

Un  h^vrb^rceSr^ed  froL''  """"'X^uj'es  of  Hindo,. 
the  jnusnns  anroSHrro^Lr ''"'^J^Pri^.^r  ^ 

oTJ^r.r:„'d't,iS^.'*'jHTLr"^"""-'°^^^^^^^^^^^ 

diamonds,  raw  sSk:i,Lt:u;S:  '°-"""7e  "' 

trades  very  few  tools  are  emnloved  tI^  ™  ,  ^?  "^'^^^ 
reared  in  the  morning  unStre.  .L  ''"^^l^  ^°°"^  ^« 
the  evening.  ^  ""  ^''^^'  ^"^  c^^^'ed  home  in 

Native  Products.        But  if  Jq  th^    u     ^ 
native  products,  which  has  in  a    Les  entered  H^'?'"  "^ 

v^-LiMATE  AND  Seasons  TU      r        " 

are  considerably  diversified  by  differen'cronr.''r'°"^ 
local  situation.     In  Bengal  the    nf        5       latitude,  and 

with  March,  and  continul^^o  L  end  of  mL'T?,'^^'"^ 
meter  sometimes  rising  to  Uo<>:th^sinte^!llJ'V^'^''^°■ 
tlmes  mterrupted  bv  vioIentth.,n^     I  .  ^^^^  ^«  some- 

;=s._The  raVseL™to"mS^^^^^^ 

the  three  last  months  nf  th  '"^"''""^ *° September: 

but  excessive  f"gsofLfp,ta^lT„T  ^'"^''''^"^  P'^^^^"^; 
The  periodical  ^'.ins^^rrf^,^^^^^^^  ^  ^^^uary! 

in  the  rest  of  the  country  thev  alnm«^  i  i  Hindostan,  and 
'nglike  cataracts  from  ^the  Tlour  Ii^wT  r^  ^'^^^"^■ 
other  rivers  spread  to  a  w'de  eitem  'J"  ^^^^f  ^"d 
ceasmg  in  September.  «  By^he  latter  .nW  V  t'?"^^''°" 
lower  parts  of  Bengal,  conti  Juo»s  tn  !k  r^  °^  "^"^^  ^"  ^''^ 
rampooter,  are  overflowed  and  form  -^  ^'^?^^'  ^"^  ^ur- 
than  a  hundred  Srt  widt^  ''Jk""^ 
villages  and  trees,  eating  very^S^^^^  • 

vated  spot  (the  artificial  mound  nft^  ^^  ^""^  ''^^^  *^'e- 
^PPearing  like  an  isS  -         ^  ^^^  '^"^^  ^^^^^''^^d  village) 

rrZZ:'TSj!^^  the  chains  of  the  Gauts,  or 
hig:h  table  land  in~the"cemre"Tnr'"''^''u'"PP°'^'"g  the 
f  ouds ;  and  the  alterm4T  w  J.'T  '^  ^''^'  "^«««  «f 
the  Monsoons,  occas  on  a  rain  J;."  ^'  ^^'  ^'"^«'  ^*^"^d 
,  uccdsion  a  lamy  season  on  one  side  of  the 


312 


HINDOSTAN. 


mountains  only,  that  is,  on  the  windward  side.  The  mon- 
soon is  from  the  N.  E.  from  October  to  April;  and  from 
May  to  September  in  the  opposite  direction.  In  general 
March,  April,  May,  and  June  are  the  dry  months. 

Excessive  rains,  or  excessive  heats,  form  the  chief  va- 
rieties of  the  year,  and  produce  luxuriance  of  vegetation, 
almost  unknown  to  any  other  co  ntry  on  the  globe. 

Soil.         The  soil  in  olaces  is  so  excellent  as 

to.  consist  of  black  vegetable  J  to  the  depth  of  six  feet. 
Rice  is  the  chief  grain  ;  and  oi»  the  dry  sandy  lands  of  the 
coast  of  Coromandel  great  industry  is  displayed  in  water- 

ing  it. 

Maize  and  the  sugar-cane  are  also  favourite  products. 
The  cultivation  of  cotton  is  also  widely  diffused  j  and  this 
plant  particularly  thrives  on  the  dry  coast  of  Coromandel. 
Rivers.  The  rivers  of  Hindostan  are  large  and 
numerous,  but  our  limits  will  not  permit  us  to  describe 
many  of  them. 

The  Ganges  must  still  be  considered  as  the  sacred  so- 
vereign of  the  Hindoo  rivers.     It  receives  such  a  number 
of  important  tributary  streams,  that  its  magnitude  exceeds 
what  might  have  been  expected  from  the  comparative 
length  of  its  course  ;  which  may  however  be  estimated  at 
about  fourteen  hundred  British  miles.  Tieffenthaler  has  laid 
down  the  latitude  of  the  noted  Gangoutra,  or  Cow's  mouth 
in  lat.  SS'',  being  a  celebrated  cataract  where  the  Ganges  is 
said  to  pass  through  a  vast  cavern  in  a  mountain,  falling 
into  a  large  bason  wliich  it  has  worn  in  the  rock.    At  about 
two  hundred  and  eighty  miles  to  the  south  of  this  place 
the  Ganges  enters  the  wide  plains  of  Hindostan  ;  and  pur- 
sues a  south-east  direction  by  the  cities  of  Canoge,  Alla- 
habad, Benares,  Patna,  &c.  till  dividing  into  many  grand 
and  capacious  mouths,  it  forms  an  extensive  delta  at  its 
egress  into  the  gulph  of  Bengal.     The  extreme  mouths  of 
the  Gan,i>es  are  intersected  with  isles,  called  the  Sunder- 
bunds,  overgrown  with  tall  bamboos  and  other  luxuriant 
vegetation,  the  impenetrable  haunts  of  the  royal  tiger  and 
other  beasts  of  prey.     v)n  the  westernmost  outlet  ot  the 
Ganges,  called  the  Iloogley,  or  Ugli,  stands  (.Calcutta,  the 
capital  of  British  Hindostan.     This,  and  the  most  eastern 
which  receives  the  Burrampooter,  are  the  widest  and  most 
important  branches. 


The 

rampo 

the  Br 

junctit 

Onth( 

ning  f 

sperse* 

lity  the 

the  Me 

neoush 

The 

equal  ii 

these  g 

parate  i 

afterwa 

The 

is  suppi 

mounta 

sand  Br 

of  Sindc 

Ther 

chiefly  j 

the  Panj 

part  of  J 

uncertai 

river  to 

Cutch. 

The  J 

consider 

tributary 

Balisur  i 

Poona,  ai 

rative  coi 

river  riva 

inundatio 

are  in  the 

butary  sti 

near  the 

Moussi,  b 

river  joins 

dra,  on  th 

niany  pop 

Vol. 


he  mou- 
ind  from 
1  general 

IS. 

;hief  va- 
getation, 
)e. 

ellent  as 
'  six  feet. 
(Is  of  the 
in  water- 


products. 

and  this 
omandel. 
arge  and 

describe 

lacred  so- 
a  number 
e  exceeds 
nparative 
i  mated  at 
jr  has  laid 
v's  mouth 
[ianj^cs  is 
n,  falling 
At  about 
Lhis  place 
and  pur- 


'ge, 


Alla- 
iny  grand 
slta  at  its 
mouths  of 
e  Sunder- 
luxuriant 
tiger  and 
[let  of  the 
dcutta,  tlie 
)st  eastern 
c  and  most 


HINDOSTAN.        ,  3^13 

f  he  noblest  tributary  stream  of  the  Gano-Pi; ;« tu^  u 

On  the?r  unfJ  h  ^^T'/-  ^'°"^  ^°"^  '^  ^^^  miles  wide! 
ninn;  f     u      "  ^^'°'''  ^"ckipourj  they  form  a  body  of  run 

he  MLna  thl      fj"*-  .  ^a  ^^^  "'^"^^^  of  the  Ganges  and 
these  great  rivers  are  stated  to  be  virv  near  ve??hT 

The  Deccan,  or  most  southern  oapt  nf  ri;„j.  . 
considered  as  bounded  and  e    "ched^v  th/t-  .    °"*",'-" 
tributary  streams     -rhZi':..  ^  '"^  Kistna,  and  its 

Bahsurta  he  chain  ofs^L?"'  "  f'/"*  '""•'  "^"  "t 
Poona,andform  'a  dekLeatSrnatl'''f:'''=  ^°''"'  °^ 
rative  cou^e  of  about  five  hund^dPflftUh  mis" n?-" 

river  To  n,  the^l5^?'™"''?-    J''"  "»« ""o^  considerable 


14 


HINDOSTAN. 


Lakes.  In  this  extensive  portion  of  Asia  the  lakes 
Seem  to  be  few,  and  of  small  account.  The  country  of  Caish- 
mir  is  supposed  to  have  been  originally  a  large  lake,  as  re- 
ported in  the  native  traditions ;  and  a  considerable  expanse 
of  water  still  remains  in  the  northern  part  of  this  delightful 
country,  called  the  lake  of  Oullcr  or  Tal,  being  about  fifty- 
three  British  miles  In  circuit. 

Mountains.  The  mountains  chiefly  celebrated 
by  the  Hindoos  may  be  said  to  be  only  visible  from  their 
country,  being  the  northern  chain  of  the  Tibetan  Alps, 
covered  with  perpetual  snow. 

The  rest  are  mostly  delineated  in  Major  Rennell's  ex- 
cellent map  of  Hindostan.  The  following  list  contains  most 
of  the  names  there  to  be  found. 

The  Chaliscuteli  hills,  between  the  western  desert  and 
the  Sctlege. 

The  Alideck  mountains,  above  Gujurat. 

The  mountains  of  Gomaun,  or  Kemaoon,  called  also  those 
of  Sewalic. 

The  mountains  of  Himmaleh,  N.  of  Tassiudon. 

In  Bengal  are  several  ridges  of  hills  without  names, 
which  is  the  case  even  with  the  chain  on  the  N.  W.  of  the 
Sircars. 

The  Lucknow  hills,  at  the  source  of  the  Mahanada. 

Those  of  Gondwanah,  running  parallel  with  the  Ner- 
budda  for  a  space,  and  then  turning  south  to  Narnalla. 

The  ridges  near  the  Chumbul  are  also  without  names. 
,  The  Grenier  mountains  in  Guzerat. 

The  Shatpoorta  hills,  between  the  Nerbudda  and  the 
Taptee. 

On  the  other  side  of  the  Nerbudda  there  are  also  re- 
markable parallel  ridges,  giving  source  to  many  rivers,  but 
nameless. 

The  important  diamond  mountains  of  Golconda  and 
Visiapour. 

A  ridge  called  the  Bundeh  mountains  runs  parallel  to 
the  Godaveri  on  the  south,  but  at  a  considerable  distance 
from  that  river. 

The  Gauts,  peculiarly  so  called,  are  ranges  which  run 
along  the  western  and  eastern  coasts  of  the  Deccan.  The 
former  is  by  the  natives  called  the  mountains  of  Sukhien. 

T'U,.-.^    ^KnSnr.    ntn^     r.l-i..n»>4-l«r     ^-n    onnVt    ol^fk      Kllf    r»0»»f  ir-llln  Tl  V 

the  west,  forming  as  it  were  enormous  walls,  supporting  a 


he  lakes 
ofCaish- 
^e,  as  re- 
expanse 
elightful 
)ut  fifty- 

ilebrated 
nil  their 
in  AlpS) 

ell's  ex- 
ins  most 

sert  and 


Iso  those 


:  names, 

V.  of  the 

da. 

:he  Ner- 

lalla. 

names. 

and  the 

also  re- 
ivers, but 

tnda  and 

irallel  to 
distance 

-^hich  run 
in.  The 
Sukhien. 

ffi/'iilarlv 

wrting  a 


HtNDOSTAN.  315 

high  terrace  or  table  land  in  the  middle.  Kxcliisive  of  a 
gap,  the  mount. m,  of  Sukhein  extend  from  tape  Comorin 
Jhe  shTr^"  "'  """""  °f  '■'•'"»  '■""y '°  ^eventy'^n.iiesZm 

^^..T^m"*",'-''  *"''  Animal   Phoductioks.  A 

more  ferule  soil,  and  climate  better  adapted  to  tl  e  mow 
w!?'  '""jonance  of  vegetation  than  the  well  watS 
nart  „l' H"'t '""  P'"'"?" '«>  '^'""•ot  possibly  be  foumTh,  any 
part  ol  the  known  world.    Double  harvests,  two  crops  of 

ioniof^""  T"''  ?'  "«=  "•«'-  '^  f™""  ™os    of  the  rest  a 

yea  are  .he'?,';^  ''hTP'^  """"«  "^^  e'^«-'  pari  of  L" 
wMli  ?,?r    1    "r  ""'  '"PPO"  ""  swarming  population 

ue  hs  nZ  "■ "' ""!>'  '"'^'''»'' '"  ?'»■«» »f  medicinal  r 
tue,  Its  numerous  and  exquisite  dying  dru-s,  and  !t,r„f 
tons  and  other  vegetable  ar'ticles  of  clofhin^X  o    s  ? 

.he^m:Ke''srre!  Tr  xt^^^^ 

put  tree,  perhaps  the  most  widely  diffjsed^^f  anv  t  T'^ 
".abundance  on  the  coasts  of  M^bar  and  Command 

•nountains  onrCarSj^fc    erch'wr.v  °"  ""^  '°"^'- 
capable  of  coverino- ten  n.  i  /  *■"'  "^s' <ree  is    ' 

o4en.are  ruffie!?nt1o  l^f  f rottagT" '  ^"'  '^°  -^^- 

fruit;  the  pillaw  is  a  tri  «?  f  ^  F^^e  flavour  of  their 
from  its  trunk  and  larJ^^^^  singularity  and  use; 

bags,  sometimes  of  theTeg?u^^^^^^^^^  ^'^''^"^ 

are  filled  with  nuts  likrth!  .kL  ^  ^"^/^  P""""^"'  ^^^"c^ 
almond  in  flavom  tL  ^'J"^  ^°''  resembling  the 
most  exquiskeTf  *th  JnH^  "^f^^  ^°^^^^^  ^«  ^^<^koned  the 

rablerbrdl^:     ttitfw^ 

whole  Peninsula.  cultivated  through  the 

Of  the  trees  whose  produce  is  iic*»ri ;«  ^    v  • 
arts,  the  most  worthy  of  not^e  ar.  thf      "^.e^l^^"*^  or  the 

tamarind ;  the  Ranibo^ia    th?  i      ^^  ^'^'^'^  ^"^^^^  J  the 

IS  a 1"     gamoogia;  the  laurus  cassia.  whnc«  k„»i. 

-  -  v-^/itimuii  suQstitute  for  cinnam^ti .  ,.«.    i  '• "   ""*"- 


310 


HINDOSTAN. 


the  ebony  ;  and  the  ferreola,  the  hardest  of  all  the  IncHan 
TToods. 

A  few  other  trees  require  notice  from  the  size  or  beauty, 
such  as  the  banyan  tree  and  Indian  fig  ;  the  hibiscus  ficul- 
neus  is  remarkable  by  its  magnitude,  and  the  profusion  of 
its  elegant  blossoms,  and  is  of  peculiar  value  in  the  tropical 
climate,  as  hardly  any  insects  are  found  under  its  shade. 
The  cotton  tree  rises  with  a  thorny  trunk  eighteen  feet  in 
circumference  to  the  height  of  fifty  feet  without  a  branch, 
it  then  throws  out  numerous  boughs,  which  are  adorned  in 
tlie  rainy  season  with  purple  blossoms  as  large  as  the  open 
hand,  and  these  are  succeeded  by  capsules  filled  witlt  a  fire 
kind  of  cotton. 

The  numerous  cavalry  which  form  the  armies  of  the 
Hindoo  princes  imply  great  numbers  of  horses  ;  and  the 
breeds  most  celebrated  are  those  of  Lahore  and  Turkistan, 
but  the  grandees  are  supplied  from  Persia  and  Arabia. 

The  cattle  of  Hindostan  are  numerous,  and  often  of  a 
large  size,  with  a  hunch  on  the  shoulders.  The  sheep  are 
covered  with  hair  instead  of  wool,  except  in  the  most  nor- 
thern parts, 

Antelopes  abound,  of  various  beautiful  kinds,  particular- 
ly that  called  the  Nilgau,  which  is  of  a  considerable  size. 

The  Arabian  camel,  or  that  with  a  single  hunch,  is  not 
unfrequent  about  Patna.  The  elephant  has  been  frequently 
described ;  the  usual  height  of  this  intelligent  animal  is 
about  ten  feet.  Apes  and  monkies  abound  in  various  re- 
gions of  Hindostan  :  and  the  orang  outang  is  said  to  be 
found>in  the  vast  forests  on  the  W.  of  the  Sircars.  The 
dogs  are  generally  of  the  cur  kind,  with  sharp  erect  cars, 
and  pointed  noses.  The  other  animals  are  wild  boars, 
bears,  wolves,  foxes,  jackalls,  hyenas,  leopards,  panthers, 
lynxes  :  i^  the  north,  musk  weasels,  and  many  othv^r  qua- 
drupeds of  Inferior  size. 

The  lion  seems  to  have  been  always  unknown  in  Hindos- 
tan. The  royal  Tiger  of  Bengal  is  however  a  far  more  ter- 
rible animal  than  the  stoutest  lion.  Such  is  their  size  and 
strength  that  they  are  said  to  carry  off  bullocks,  the  heif^ht 
of  some  being  said  to  be  five  feet,  and  the  length  in  proper- 
tion.  Parties  of  pleasure  on  the  isles  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Ganj^es  have  often  been  shockingly  interrupted  by  the  sud- 
den appearance  of  the  tiger,  prepared  for  bis  fatal  spring, 
which  is  said  to  expend  a  ht^ndred  ieet,not  iniprybable  when 


HINDOSTAN.  3,^ 

are  indeed  also  found  .n  Brazil,  but  of  fa.-  inferior  qiS 
1  he  chief  and  most  ce  ebratcd  diamond  m!,,,.  ./-    .u   ' 
near  Visiapour  and  OolcondaX.Carstream.rh,.  fl"'' 
'"'""•^  f  »'!>»  in  the  souther,;  divisfon  of  H?ndoV,an  cT 

but  the  ruby  ako  occurs  in  Ceylon,  which  IJw!  * 

seem  ever  tc5  have  been^nown  b  Hindostan^whic'II'r 
rather  been  celebrated  for  attractin^tMs  metarin^  ^* 
merce  from  other  countries.     Silver Vems  mrel  ""l 

throughout  the  oriental  reu ions  and  thf^^"  P'^"*^* 

of  this  mineral  through  Kdfa  '  *'  "°  ^"^^^^'^«" 

Natural  CuaiosiTiwc  a 

features  of  nature  r::yT'r::.uon.tr:^,:^:^„^^^ 

rn'"»t:„°"e'ct  t-oUldTv^  '"^  -son^Ti^C^'da! 
plac'es  before  Sd  t' e  gl'nS  asZTr.H'"''""^''  '» 
mountains  covered  with  snoi  Pn/.?  •  ?*^  i*""  "oMhera 
east  of  the  Indusrbe^'enTan^t^o'^re:  f^Ten^T  ""S 
ri,  r  tabk  '",anrf'\^"  '"'°  Srand'f^u re'  f  L^s" 
bu^rtslesrfmou  .1,°/  ^''''""'  ™PP°«'=''    -^^  """"^ 


GANGETIC  HINDOSTAN, 

OR,  THE  COtJNTBIES  OH  THE  GANGES 


318 


HINDOSTAN. 


is  proper  first  to  consider  them  apart,  and  then  proceed  to 
some  account  of  the  other  provinces.  The  British  settle- 
ments here  extend  about  550  miles  in  length  by  300  in 
breadth,  in  themselves  a  powerful  kingdom.  The  native 
population  is  computed  at  ten  or  eleven  millions  of  black 
subjects,  exclusive  of  the  English,  whose  number  seems 
not  authen     uted. 

Heven  .  E.  The  revenue  of  these  British  provinces  is 
computed  at  4,2 10,000/.  sterling ;  the  expense  of  collection, 
mifitary  and  civil  charges,  &c.  2,540,000/.  so  that  the  clear 
revenue  is  1,670,000/.  They  are  well  situated  in  respect 
lo  security  from  foreign  invasion ;  and  since  they  were  in 
possession  of  the  British  have  enjoyed  more  tranquillity  than 
any  part  of  Hindostan  has  known  since  the  reign  of  Au- 

vungzeb. 

Government.  The  government  of  Bengal  and  its 
wide  dependencies  was  first  vested  in  a  governor-general 
and  a  supreme  council^  consisting  of  a  president  and  eleven 
counsellors ;  but  in  1773  these  were  restricted  to  feur,  with 
Warren  Hastings  the  gov ernof -general,  who  were  to  di- 
rect all  affairs,  civil  and  military,  in  the  kingdoms  of  Ben- 
gal, Bahar,  and  Orissa ;  and  to  control  the  inferior  go- 
vernments of  Madras  on  the  K.  and  Bombay  on  the  W. 
with  Bencoolen  in  the  island  of  Sumatra.  The  court  of 
judicature  consistsof  a  chief  justice  and  three  other  judges, 
with  civil,  criminal,  naval,  and  ecclesiastical  jurisdiction. 
The  Hindoos  are  governed  by  .their  own  laws. 

Army.  The  military  establishment  in  Bengal  is 
always  respectable,  but  varies  according  to  the  situation  of 
affairs.  The  British  troops  are  supported  by  the  Sepoys, 
a  well  trained  native  militia. 

Cities  and  Towns.         The  chief  city  of  Bengal, 
and  of  all  the  British  possessions  in  Hindostan,  is  Calcutta. 
The  latitude  is  22°   33'  north,  and  the  longitude  88°  28 
east  from  Greenwich.  t   j-        •* 

«  Generally  speaking,  the  description  of  one  Indian  city 
is  a  description  of  all ;  they  being  all  built  on  one  plan,  with 
exceedingly  narrow,  confined,  and"  crooked  streets  ;  with 
an  incredible  number  of  reservoirs  and  ponds,  and  a  great 
many  gardens  interspersed.  A  few  of  the  streets  are  pav- 
^A  ,yith  brick.  The  houses  are  variously  built,  some  ot 
bricitTothers  with  mud,  and  a  still  greater  proportion  with 
bamboos  and  mats  ;  those  of  the  latter  kind  are  invariably 


HINDOSTAN.  ^,9 

of  one  story,  and  covered  with  thatch.     Those  of  brick 
Tritwlnr^r  ""^^•'  -^^- flat  terraced  r^K 

composed  entirely  of  brick  buildings,  many  of  which  hav. 
more  the  appearance  of  palaces  than  of  private  houses    but 
«.e  remainder  of  the  city,  and  by  much  the  lrea"est  ± 
18  bull   as  above  described.     Calcutta  is  the  Sr  um  of 
Bengal,  and  the  seat  of  the  Governor  GeneraUHnr  ft 
IS  a  very  extensive  and  populous  city,  beinir  sunno«  H 
present  to  contain  at  least  500,000  inhabitants     Cakf,  1  ' 
situated  on  the  western  arm  of  tK«  /,  ""^""'    ^-f'cutta  is 

hundred  miles  f7om  thesea"  and  the  rhf";  nlvf  Tl  °"^ 
to  tl.e  town  for  the  largest  shi^s  tL  vi^U  TnZ  ^^  'is"^ 
modern  city,  having  risen  on  the  site  of  the  v    te  of  Cn 
ymdpour,  about  nine  years  ago.     The  c  tadi  S,n    • 
in  every  point,  as  to  strength  and  correctness  nf,!!-^''"' 
any  fortress  in  India :  but  on  too  extern  vfn  '^^"'  *° 

swer  the  useful  purpose  intenrd,^^^!,:,^^  ^  Vost" 
in  case  of  extremity."  "u^uiug  a  post 

In  this  grand  capital  of  British  Asia  the  mixture  .f 

Mahometan,  contrast  with  the  fSi  and  Thh'''  "^ 
nances  of  the  English,  and  the  ch"rmTof '"e  EuZe'an 
damsel,  receive  a  foil  from  the  dark  Hindoo  beaudes^?^ 
the  luxuries  of  the  Asiatic  -irf.  ufirUA  lu  "v""*^^-  ■*  o 
science  of  the  English  nfr&:„',henetsBaDetf."'r  ""■* 
«P  with  care,  and  printed  with  e  eKance  ?anH  ?h  a  •™" 
society    instituted  V  the  la^    S  hle''"si  ''v^S 

Chiefly  fabricated  i„rt^,  tsonfr:„f"vL"X'.er 
?o"k:^U""'  "'"»^^'  ^o™  ^'^reatpart  Zhfe^'^!?; 


330 


HINDOSTAN. 


about  26  miles  above  Calcutta,  on  the  grand  western  branch 
of  the  GanKes,  which  theiic«  receives  its  name. 

Patna  ih  the  capital  of  the  provmce  ot  IJahar,  si  uated 
about  400  miles  N.  W.  from  Calcutta,  bemf?  tolerably  lor- 
tified,  and  a  place  of  considerable  trade  ;  must  ot  the  sa  t- 
petre,  in  parlicular,  exported  to  Lngland  is  made  m  the 
nrovince  of  Bahar.  .       r^i     »  •*•  u 

Benares  approaches  to  the  western  frontier  of  the  British 
possession.,  the  district  having  been  ceded  to  the  Last  In- 
dia  Company  in  the  year  1775.  It  is  a  rich,  populous,  and 
cLpact  city,  on  the  northern  bank  ol  the  Ganges,  about 
460  miles  from  Calcutta.  j    .i  * 

On  leaving  the  British  possrssions,  towards  the  west, 
first  occurs  Allaliabad,  a  city  belonging  to  the  nabob  of 
Oude,  but  of  little  conbc(iucnce.     ^        ,      ^     . 

lucknow  is  the  present  capital  of  Oude,  havmg  super- 

*^  The  gi^ela 'and  good  emperor  Acbar  constituted  Agra 
the  capital  of  the  Mogul  empire  about  A,  D.  1 566.  It  has 
rapidly^^t^cc^nec^  of  Agra,  near  the  confines  of  Sindetie 
Hindostan,  stands  the  celebrated  city  of  Delhi,  the  Ma- 
hometan  capital  of  India.     This  metropolis  may  be  said 

^°OuiSn  which  may  be  considered  as  the  farthest  city  in 
the  south  of  that  portion  now  under  view.  It  is  about  six 
mfles  in  circumference,  surrounded  by  a  strong  wall,  with 
round  towers.  The  houses  partly  brick,  partly  wood,  co- 
vered  with  lime,  tai-ass,  or  tiles  ;  the  bazar,  or  market,  is 
Zcious,  and  paved  with  stone :  there  are  four  mosques, 
ami  several  Hindoo  temples,  with  a  new  palace  built  by 

^' Abou{  80  miles  south  of  Agra  is  the  noted  fort  of  Gwa- 
lior ;  it  stands  on  an  insulated  rock  about  four  miles  m 
lencth,  but  narrow  :  the  sides  are  almost  perpendiculai, 
from  two  to  three  hundred  feet  above  the  surrounding  plain 
On  the  top  there  is  a  town  witn  wells  and  reservoirs,  and 
some  cultFvated  land.  This  celebrated  fortress,  which  is 
a^ut  80  miles  to  the  south"  of  Agra,  was  taken  by  surprise 
by  a  few  English  under  Major  lopham,  m  177y 

Adioining  to  the  British  settlements  m  this  part  of  India 

AOJoiiniigtut  ^    ^ ivi;„uio,r    onrl  Smnairur.  rude 

are  the  people  oi  ivruuau,  ^ti.^.ix.vj,  «     ;„  ♦ujo 

JJountaineei^,  too  unimportant  to  deserve  a  place  in  this 
epito:ne. 


HINDOSTAN. 


ast 


SINDETIC  HINDOSTAN  j 

OR, 

THE  COUNTRIES  ON  THE  RIVER  SINDEH  OR  INDUS. 

Extent.  THIS  part  extends  from  the  northern 
mountains  of  Cashmir,  and  the  Hindoo  Koh,  in  the  north 
of  Cubu!,  to  the  month  of  the  Indus,  a  length  of  about  900 
British  miles,  and  about  350  in  medial  breadth. 

We  shall  begin  with  the  N.  E.  and  end  with  the  S.  W. 
after  mentioning  that  Agimer,  which  may  be  regarded  as 
the  most  eastern  city  of  this  division,  is  little  remarkable, 
except  for  a  strong  fortress  on  a  hill. 

Chief  Cities  and  Towns.  The  town  of  Sirhind 
IS  placed  by  modern  maps  on  the  river  Caggar,  which 
Major  Rennell  supposes  to  follow  a  detached  course  into 
the  gulph  of  Cutch :  perhaps  it  may  be  lost  in  the  ttreat 
sandy  desert. 

Lahore,  now  the  capital  of  the  Seiks,  was  the  residence 
of  the  first  Mahometan  conquerors  before  they  advanced 
to  the  more  central  parts ;  and,  including  the  suburbs,  was 
supposed  to  be  three  leagues  in  length.  From  Lahore  to 
Agra,  near  500  English  miles,  there  was  an  avenue  of 
shady  trees.  The  river  Rauvee  passes  by  Lahore,  beinir 
the  Reva  of  the  Hindoos.  * 

Almost  due  north  from  Lahore,  at  the  supposed  distance 
of  about  200  British  miles,  stands  Cashmir,  the  capital  of 
the  delightful  province  so  called.  «  The  city  extends  about 
three  miles  on  each  side  of  tlie  river  Jalura,  over  which 
are  four  or  five  wooden  bridges,  and  occupies  in  some  part 
of  its  breadth,  which  is  irregular,  i?bout  two  miles.  'I'he 
houses,  many  of  them  two  and  three  stories  high,  are 
slightly  built  of  brick  and  mortar,  with  a  large  intermixture 
of  timber.  On  a  standing  roof  of  wood  is  laid  a  covering 
of  fine  earth,  which  shelters  the  building  from  the  great 
quantity  of  snow  that  falls  in  the  winter  season.  In  the 
summer  season,  the  tops  of  the  houses,  which  are  planted 
with  a  variety  of  flowers,  exhibit  at  a  distance  the  spacious 
view  of  a  beautifully  chequered  parterre.  The  streets  are 
narrow,  and  choaked  with  the  filth  of  the  inhabitants,  who 
are  proverbially  unclean,^*  The  country  of  Cashmir  is  a 
delicious  vale,  extending  in  an  oval  form,  about  90  miles 


522 


HINDOSTAN. 


from  S.  K.  to  N.  W.  It  was  subject  to  the  Za^athai  princes 
till  A.  D.  1586,  when  it  became  subject  to  the  Monguls, 
and  afterwards  to  the  Afgans.  Kice  is  the  common  pro- 
duct of  the  plains  :  while  the  surrounding  hills  yield  wheat, 
barley,  and  other  crops-  The  celebrated  shuwls  nre  only 
manufactured  here.  The  price  at  the  loom  is  Irom  26s. 
to  5l.  and  the  revenue  is  transmitted  to  the  Afgan  capital 
in  this  fabric.  The  Cashmirians  are  stout  and  well  formed, 
but  their  features  often  coarse  and  broad,  even  those  of  the 
women,  who  in  this  northern  part  of  India  are  of  a  deeper 
brown  complexion  than  those  of  southern  France  or  Spain. 
The  dress  is  inelegant,  but  the  people  gay  and  lively,  and 
fond  of  parties  of  pleasure  on  their  delicious  lake. 

The  wide  space  from  Cashmir  to  Cabul  is  more  re- 
markable for  mimerous  streams  and  mountains  than  any 
other  circumstaljce  ;  but  the  country  is  diversified  with 
gentle  hills,  fertile  vales,  and  stately  forests,  and  besides 
delicate  fruits  and  flowers  is  f.bundant  in  other  productions. 
Ghizni  was  the  seat  of  the  first  Mahometan  conquerors, 
and  the  ancient  capital  of  the  country.  The  city  of  Cabul 
is  the  capital  of  the  dominions  of  the  Persian  Shah,  usually 
6tyled  king  of  Candahar,  whose  dominions  extend  west- 
ward beyond  the  sea  of  Durrah,  including  a  great  part  of 
Corasan,  with  the  large  Persian  province  of  Segistan,  being 
about  800  British  miles  in  length  by  about  half  that  breadth. 
Cabul  is  esteemed  a  considerable  city,  in  a  romantic  and 
healthy  situation. 

Pursuing  the  course  of  the  Indus  towards  the  south, 
the  small  city  and  fortress  of  Attock  which  were  only  built 
by  Acbar,  1581,  present  themselves  :  but  the  vicinity  was 
memorable  in  ancieiit  times  as  the  general  passage  from 
India  to  the  west. 

Moultan,  the  capital  of  the  province  so  called,  is  about 
170  British  miles  to  the  south  of  Attock,  on  the  river  Chu- 
nab.  It  is  a  small  city,  and  of  little  consequence,  except 
for  its  antiquity  and  cotton  manufacture. 

The  last  remarkable  city  on  the  Indus  is  Tatta,  the  capi- 
tal of  the  province  of  Sindi,  and  situated  within  the  Delta, 
the  upper  part  of  which  is  well  cultivated,  while  the  lower 
presents  only  low  brushwood,  swamps,  and  lakes.  At  Tatta 
the  heats  are  so  violent,  and  the  winds  from  the  sandy  de- 
serts on  the  E.  and  N.  W.  so  pernicious,  that  many  pre- 


cautioi 
woolf 


B< 

by  Gan 

the  san 

river  J 

the  eas 

toW.  i 

dial  br< 

provinc 

bad,  Ca 

name; 

of  the  J 

Cii 

division 

first  pre! 

seem  lit 

city  of  C 

fied,  tak< 

restored 

of  more 

great  tvi 

now  littlt 

Sural  1 

the  Mah( 

to  Mecca 

gueze  sei 

and  it  wai 

by  the  Er 

Bomba; 

known  Ei 

niiles  in  h 

tress,  a  la 

^vas  ceded 

part  of  th« 


HIND0§TAN. 


333 
CENTRAL  HINDOSTAN  J 

OR, 

THE  MIDDLE  PROVINCES, 
to  W.  is  little  less  thin  laoo^ifhS.  •  IhUe'tT."*  ^• 

divisi^o^.":;  ^'aiTi^st  des?riLrr';:,TJ^ro/r  '"^ 

first  presents  itself,  like  a  law  promontorv  but  .hh?'"'''* 
seem  httle  adapted  to  comiSercial  pSes  Th«  .h^f 
City  of  Guzeraf  Arr»-,ioK„i  •        "    P'"  posts.     1  lie  chief 

to  Mecca,  than  fofan;tl,  r'T cumZce""" 'f h'''rP 
gueze  seized  Surat  soon  after  thdr  TrrSn    '?"','^<'«»- 

miles  ,n  lengtl.,  containing  a  very  stlnl  "It  °  'T" 
tress,  a  large  city,  a  dock  var/IL^-  P  '="'"''  ^or- 
«as  ceded  to  the'^knglUh  in  '  662  bv  ZT  f ''*™'-  " 
Partof  thcdowerof^heq^eeLofCh^ks  ir"^""'''  "' 


824 


HINDOSTAN. 


On  leaving  the  shore  and  proceeding  towards  the  east  of 
central  Hindostan,  first  occurs  the  city  of  Bwrhampour,  of 
small  note.  Ellichpour  is  of  considerable  importance,  be- 
ing the  chief  city  of  Berar.  Nagpour  is  the  capital  of  the 
eastern  division  of  the  Maratfa  empire,  as  Poona  is  of  the 
western,  being  a  modern  city  of  small  size. 

Not  far  to  the  east  .of  this  city  begins  that  extensive 
and  unexplored  wilderness,  which  is  pervaded  byHhe  great 
river  Bain  or  Baun  Gonga,  and  terminates  in  the  moun- 
tains bounding  the  English  Sircars. 

On  turning  towards  the  west,  few  places  of  note  arise, 
except  Aurungabad,  a  modern  city,  deriving  its  name  from 
Aurungzeb,  in  whose  time  it  was  the  capital  of  the  Dec- 
can.  Near  this  city  is  Dowlatabad,  which  gives  name  to 
the  province,  with  a  singular  fortress  on  a  peaked  rock. 

This  central  part  of  Hindostan  was  formerly  the  seat  of 
great  power,  and  the  western  coasts  greatly  frequented  by 
foreign  merchants  of  all  nations,  but  its  commerce  has 
been  transferred  to  the  Ganges. 

In  later  times  the  southern  part  of  this  coast  was  re- 
markable upon  another  account,  being  the  chosen  residence 
of  daring  pirates.  They  resembled  on  a  small  scale  the 
piratical  states  of  Barbary,  and  a  succession  of  Jngrias  was 
continued  till  1756,  when  the  British  seized  Gheriah,  the 
principal  fortress. 

THE  SOUTHERN  DIVISION  OF  HINDOSTAN. 

Boundaries.  THIS  part,  which  may  also  be  <  - 
ed  the  Deccan  or  south,  is  bounded  by  the  river  Kislrt.., 
and  extends  from  the  latitude  of  Bombay  to  the  southern 
point  of  Cape  Comorin,  about  830  British  miles  in  length, 
and  about  350  of  medial  breadth.  It  contains  nearly  the 
whole  of  the  province  of  Visiapour,  and  the  most  import- 
ant part  of  that  of  Gtjlconda,  with  the  central  kingdom  of 
Mysore,  the  long  eastern  province  of  the  Carnatic,  the 
principalities  of  Tanjore,  Travancore,  and  the  Samorins 
of  Calicut,  the  pepper  coast  of  Canara,  and  other  districts. 

British  Possessions.  In  addition  to  the  district 
around  Madras,  the  British  power  was,  in  1792  and  1799, 
CJ^tended  over  wide  provinces  in  the  south  and  west  of 
Mysore,  and  Seringapatam  the  capital  is  also  in  their 
possessiou. 


the  east  of 
impour,  of 
>rtance,  be- 
pital  of  the 
a  is  of  the 

t  extensive 
yhhe  great 
the  moun- 

note  arise, 
name  from 
f  the  Dec- 
!S  name  to 
taked  rock, 
the  seat  of 
quented  by 
merce  has 

ist  was  re- 
n  residence 
II  scale  the 
ingrias  was 
heriah,  the 


OSTAN. 

also  ber' 
ver  Kislrtf, 
le  southern 
s  in  length, 
nearly  the 
ost  import- 
kingdom  of 
irnatic,  the 
e  Samorins 
er  districts, 
the  district 
2  and  1799, 
md  west  of 
so  in  their 


HINDOSTAN. 


325 


Chief  Cities.  In  recent  times  Seringapatam  mav 
be  regarded  as  the  most  important  city  in  this  portion  of 
Hmdostan.  It  ,s  situated  in  an  isle,  surround^  by  the 
river  Caveri,  which  is  even  here  about  five  feet  deep,  and 
runs  over  a  rocky  channel.  The  length  of  this  isle  is  about 
iour  miles,  and  the  breadth  about  a  mile  and  a  half:  the 
western  side  bemg  allotted  to  the  fortress,  distingu  shed 
by  regular  out-works,  magnificent  palaces,  and  loftv 
Jiosques.  The  environs  are  decorated  with  noble  gar- 
irV  *"^,among  the  means  of  defence  was  wh'at  is  called 

to  fifty  feet^  '  ^    "       '°  ^^^  ^^^""^^^  ""^  ^'^™  ^^'^r 

In  this  central  territory  the  British  also  possess  several 
considerable  towns    Salem  and  Attore  in  the  east ;  Dindi- 
gui,  Coimbetore,  Palicaud,  on  the  south  ;  and  on  the  west- 
ern coast,  Paniany,  Ferokabad,  Calicut,  now  nearly  deserted, 
relhcherri,   Mangalore,  and  Carwar  within  forty  .niles  of 
the  Portuguese  settlement  of  Goa;  while  on  the  south  thev 
approach  within  a  like  distance  of  Cochin.    In  the  Carnatic 
Vi7^    r  '®"^  ^^^^  Madrass,  wliere  they  settled  so  early  as 
1 640  ;  but  the  fortress,  which  is  strong,  and  includes  a  re- 
gular well  built  city,  is  of  modern  date.     Unhappily  there 
is  no  port,  nor  is  there  indeed  one  haven  for  lai-n-e  vessels 

e^sicle^7^V'?•1"'^^^^°  ''•""«'^^''  o^he  eat: 

JXl     u-  ^*'^''''"'  ''''"''''  ''^"'^^^^  t'"*  ^^^t  of  singular  be- 
nefat  to-their  commerce.  ^ 

Not  far  from  the  western  frontier  of  the  settlement  ai^ 
ThP  m"  ?"1.'  Arcot  esteemed  the  capital  of  the  Carnatic. 
Ihe  Navab  often  resides  at  Madrass.  In  his  dominions 
there  are  several  celebrated  temples,  visited  by  numerous 
pilgnms ;  m  general  the  southern  parts  of  Hindostan  dis- 
play  more  numerous  edifices,  and  other  marks  of  civiliza- 
tion,  than  die  northern. 

Tra,Kiuel)ar  is  a  noted  Danish  settlement  in  the  kinc^dom 
01  lanjore,  which  embraces  the  wide  D.-ltuof  the  Caveri 

ch^L''"    TV/'"'  ^"^''""'^^   "^°"'   '^'^'   ^^^  '^^s  been 

w  o  ^.3"^  f^  '  ^"  "''^""'  "^^'^^  ^'''^^'^"^  missionaries, 
who    eso.ted  hither  to  convert  the  Hindoos.   Pondichcrr 
va«  Ih.   pnrrMpal   settlement  of  the  French,    founded  in 
J67..  and  before  the  war  of  1756,  was  a  lar^-^^  nrd  !...„.;- 
lul  City.  "^ — ""Kr.. 


S26 


HINDOSTAN. 


6. 


On  the  western  coast,  op  that  of  Malabar,  stands  Cochin 
This  city  remained  subject  to  the  Portuguese  till  1660, 
iyvhen  it  was  taken  by  the  Dutch.   The  surrounding  creeks 
land  marshes  of  this  low  and  unhealthy  shore  abound  with 

jfish  and  game. 

To  the  north  of  the  British  territories  first  occurs  Ooa, 
formerly  a  capital  settlement  of  the  Portuguese,  and  a 
noted  seat  of  their  Inquisition.  This  city,  once  magnifi- 
cent, stands  on  a  small  isle  in  the  midst  of  a  beautiful  bay. 
The  harbour  is  ranked  among  the  fii-st  in  India,  and  if  in 
the  hands  of  the  English,  would  probably  resume  its  form- 
er consequence.  .         r    L    »* 

Porna  is  the  capital  of  the  western  empire  of  the  Ma- 

rattas,  but  a  mean  defenceless  city;  the  archives  of  the 

'  government,  and  in  all  appearance  the  chief  seat  of  power, 

being  at  Poorunder,  a  fortress  about  eighteen  miles  to  the 

;  south-east.  .  i      .  i     -i. 

Visiapour  in  the  Maratta  territory  is  a  considerable  city. 

n  the  vicinity  are  celebrated  diamond  mines. 
M     Hydrabad  is  the  metropolis  of  the  Nizam's  territory, 
*and  particulariy  of  the  celebrated  kingdom  or  province  of 
'Golconda,  but  seems  otherwise  little  remarkable.  Betwixt 

these  two  last  named  cities  stands  Calberga,  formeriy  the 

capital  of  a  powerful  kingdom,  that  of  the  Deccan,  under 

the  Bamineah  dynasty. 


t 


»,  n 


.-v^ 


»*4. 


ochin 
1660, 
:reeks 
Iwith 


I  Goa, 
and  a 
agnifi- 
il  bay. 
d  if  in 
i  form- 


^n 


le  Ma- 

of  the 

power, 

to  the 


iM 


le  city. 


•ritory, 
ince  of 
Jetwixt 
rly  the 
I  under 


t 


rnyv 


-■%1 


*t' 


:;».**'• 


